Eternal Breath
by Stardust Ray
Summary: AU:Squinoa; Rinoa, a reluctant sorceress, embarks on a journey to liberate herself from the sorcery powers with the aid of her protector, Griever, a bloodthirsty beast of two minds and hearts. But when the world will stand in way of their pursuit...
1. Beginnings

_**-Disclaimer of Infinity- **_

_**I own nothing of Square or its affiliates. **_

_**Catchy DisC, isn't it? So take a picture because you won't see it again. **_

_**Enjoy…**_

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_**Eternal Breath**_

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_**One, who recites a tale for many years, becomes the tale itself.**_

_**Beginnings**_

**_1_**

At the darkest hour of night, a critically wounded woman flees an army of malicious soldiers in the streets of Deling City. Engulfed in distraught and anguish, she hastily cut through the murky alleyways that were illuminated faintly by lanterns posted at road corners and intersections of the city streets, which helped her to see the pathway that would liberate her from town. Maintaining her bold getaway, she ran between the monstrous constructions that bypassed vaguely in her sight until she could smell the city's offending stench no more. When taking a short glance behind, the face of a formless capital instantly haunted her, causing her to fight harder to escape. She also discovered troops emerging from its gloomy realm that were now keeping up with her sprinting.

But exhaustion got the better of her, and she lost her footing, collapsing to the muddy grounds on the outskirts of town. She yelped aloud and the men immediately threw their spears and swords in the direction of her scream; anything that could be used as a weapon was lunged at the injured woman wounded by her own fall to the ground; however, in _their_ eyes she _was no_ woman. She was a wicked witch, an animal…a sorceress. No sorceress deserved their pity; sorceresses were feared and took anything of their liking, such greed was their nature. Although she appeared harmless, this woman was no different than the other witches before her; she could instantly bring devastation upon their kingdom with a single wave of her hand.

The injured sorceress struggled to see through the muddy locks of hair that covered her eyes, hiding every detail of her youthful face. She desperately tried to dig her fingers into the ground, boosting herself from its depths, but had failed and plunged onto the soil once more. The Sorceress inhaled deeply what were most likely her last breaths of life.

All the soldiers gathered around her, holding up their swords, readying to slay the injured sorceress.

"Attack!" The captain ordered, and each man raised his weapon high as the moment was his for the taking, his victory.

Just as she rested her hands onto the ground and prepared herself for death, a blue light had shone across the pitch-black sky and caused every soldier to cease his movement. Seconds later, the mighty roar of a beast's cry surrounded them all, causing a few men to drop their swords and run for safety.

Through the amazing blue rays, the beast shaped to be Griever, the great lion and protector of sorceresses. In this night, Griever had answered the silent prayer of the dying sorceress, and in one sweep upon landing, took down dozens of soldiers with its mighty paws. From its powerful jaws, the lion cast great fires upon the men who were now scrambling in fear. The fire burned intensely, and hadn't at all resembled natural fire. Its black and purple mists exploded with clouds of white, and smoke surpassed all the nearby lands.

Escaping men were either caught in the fire, or died by inhaling the flames of smoke. Though many men had fled, Griever was not yet finished. Most of what those soldiers could see of this beast were its fair, yet pure golden eyes glimmering in the night's darkness as it lunged out toward them, striking down bodies, and ripping them to pieces as though it held no restraint at all.

Screams of many men were heard far away, and most of the lights from Deling City's walls had faded, one by one.

_-G-Griever…I will not make it, hurry…flee…before your soul is drawn back...-_ The sorceress called to her protector through telepathy.

The beast growled, unsatisfied with its incomplete objective, and returned to her as she lay on the ground, having not moved from the same spot since its arrival. Through her wounds and weaknesses so had Griever endured the pains of her suffering as well. Quickly, the great lion backed away from its dying sorceress, and ignored her requests; thus, thrusted itself back into battle and slaughtered countless men until the urge to kill had subsided.

-_Griever! – _She pleaded with the lion, but realized her calls were futile, for the beast followed only its own instincts. Using her telepathy caused her to expend more energy, and the sorceress found herself struggling to go on.

With her last breaths, she wished herself almost a thousand miles away, to a small town near the shimmering sea where the sun had been on the verge of setting; she believed it to be a peaceful sight to intake before her death would come. There, her soul sauntered the grassy plains a few yards out of town.

A girl of ten years, taking the remainder of the day to gather a few wild flowers from the grasslands, saw a woman walking slowly toward her home. The girl, sensing that something had troubled the lone wanderer, ran toward her in hopes of being of help. As she neared the woman, a feeling of trust, _and_ insecurity overtook her being.

The woman fell onto her hands and muttered in such a sweet voice, caused the young girl to have sympathy for her, despite the developing tension that presented itself with this woman's presence, "…I am Edea…and I can sense your tranquil spirit young child. Here, I bestow unto you a gift. Use it well, young one…but beware the terrible power that now lies and grows… within you."

Now, gasping for the loss of her life, Edea emitted a purple light unto the young girl, causing them both to scream out as the transfer of mystical powers took place. Gradually, the young girl felt the searing heat of supernatural energy diminish with each passing second, until it was no more, usurped by her vessel.

The young girl opened her eyes, which had closed just as the woman first began to glow violet, and saw that the woman no longer knelt on the ground before her. Edea had vanished into the gusty air around, suddenly and quietly; even the girl hadn't known of her disappearance until after the matter.

She looked into her hands and saw that each remained unchanged, and contained a complete set of eight fingers, two thumbs, all nails and natural lifelines. Seeing that none of her fingers were missing, her search continued onward. She moved her hands to her face, feeling her eyes, nose, mouth and ears even…still, no different than before. Even though she could feel a slight change within herself, nothing appeared different, at least anything she hadn't yet inspected.

Although frightened, she never left the area where the woman had vanished. It was all unbelievable, unreal, and was a dream no doubt: A dream, right? The girl pinched the skin of her arm, "Ouch!" No, she was still there…but what happened just a few moments ago? She scratched the back of her neck and scanned the area once more, but nothing came of her search.

"Rinoa! Time to come inside!" Her father called to her from the doorstep of their country house in Dollet. He was bemused that his daughter had been staring at something in the distance for more than an hour or so. The man sipped warm tea from his mug and sighed with a shrug of his shoulders, "That girl gets stranger everyday." Sniggering inwardly, the thirty-two year old widower moved from the doorway, and disappeared into the tall cabin.

Rinoa, upon hearing her father's call, turned back once more to ensure the woman wouldn't magically reappear before her very eyes, but after a few moments, gave up and began to walk away. "Rinoa!" He yelled out once more.

"Coming daddy!" She announced as her speed increased, and she was now running to the stillness of her cozy home.

_That very same night, Rinoa, as she tucked herself into bed, heard a creak of the floor in her room. Upon opening her eyes to investigate the darkness, swore she saw a pair of yellow eyes staring back at her, but in that instant, the glimmering eyes were gone._

_Thinking it might have been a star in her eyes, the ten year old shrugged off the uneasiness and was fast asleep. Unbeknownst to her, no star had rested in her sight, for those glimmering fair eyes watched her peacefulness warily from a darkened corner as she slept through the night…_

_Seven Years Later…_

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_**Author's Note:**_

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_Welcome! This story is a tad bit unusual, I know. (I happen to enjoy strange things...) Anyway, the next chapter will follow, I just wanted to make an open, you know, the grand entrance. Well, this story is simply considered a Fantasy/Action-Adventure/Romance Fic. Heh!_

_(And thanks to those who've been reviewing the stories I've finished, thanks so much! You guys are wonderful!) This story was Beta-Read, but practically co-authored by **Blue**, you're the greatest man! Thanks!_

_If you're interested, please leave a review. Thank you!_

_**StardustRay**_


	2. Awakenings

_Woo! I am so sorry about that summary…and because I can't stand to live in too much suspense, I've decided to postthis chapter up to complete the intro. Thank you!_

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**Those of many weaknesses fear, above all else, ****the power that lies within the self…**

_**Awakenings**_

_**2**_

_A young woman strolls barefoot in an open meadow, holding her shoes in hand and walking aimlessly in the wilderness. A certain flower captures her attention and curiosity forces the young woman to run toward the flower's radiating beauty. As she reaches down for the beautiful flower, hoping to claim it as her own, a great gust of wind knocks her from her feet, a wind which seemed to separate her soul from her body in a matter a seconds. --_

Rinoa awoke with a jolt, panting desperately for air that unsatisfied her lungs at the moment. She coughed and placed her hand over her rigidly pounding heart while sighing, "…Not again. That's the second time this month I've had that dream. What…what does it mean?"

"Rinoa, are you awake? I'm going out to the store, okay!" Her father yelled, his voice traveling through the tiny cabin, as he got ready to pull the front door shut.

"Okay!" Rinoa answered, and fell back onto the softness of her bed with a heavy groan. After pushing aside the recurring dream, she readied herself to perform the daily chores for her fulltime working father. On a normal day, the man would appear at breakfast, vanish out of the door, and then reappear at night for dinner. She never quite understood why he worked so hard since it was only the two of them, but Rinoa had always remained earnest and respected her father's rules, which meant, never to question him about grown-up affairs.

Wincing bitterly at the dawn of a new day, Rinoa finally forced herself out of bed to walk about the cabin; a one story home which consisted of two bedrooms, one bathroom, and a conjoined kitchen and living room that were all dimmed with old-fashion wood covering the walls and floors. Rinoa could admit it wasn't much living space, but it was her home, and it meant more to her than anything else to be with her healthy father in a stable environment.

As she strode into the only bathroom of the small cozy cabin, Rinoa turned on the light switch that revealed her baggy eyes and pale discolored facial skin; such were the results of a sleepless night. She snorted, "…What a sight."

Moments after her daily morning routine, she emerged from her room radiating with refreshed beauty. Her hair was combed back into a low ponytail, restrained to keep away stubborn locks that would purposely stab her eyelids when she needed her eyes the most, and she wore blue t-shirt, black shorts, and flip-flops, readying to take on a day _filled_ with household chores, but all were done in high spirits on a regular basis.

"Since it looks windy outside right now, I guess I could skip a few chores and get straight to the raking." She said, trotting over the rugged carpet spread about the floors of the living room. And with that, the seventeen year old decided to leave the cabin. Upon stepping out, a warm breeze looming the air had embraced and welcomed her to the outdoors. She closed her eyes while pulling the door behind shut, enjoying the rest of the incoming wave of wind before commencing her labor.

Other people in the town had their eyes on Rinoa often, watching the young woman in her weirdness, perfecting every part of she and her father's property. It was a rare sight to see her actually mingle with anyone besides her father. As a young girl, most of the town kids cast her from the crowd since _she_ was among the fastest to cry, and easily the target for teasing and bullying.

The teasing and taunting had gotten so bad once, that Rinoa had to defend herself and sent a boy running home in tears. Ever since that day, she had isolated herself from the other children in the town by busying with chores and other dissocial activities. Now, whenever Rinoa spoke to anyone else, it would most often be to an elderly person; they seemed to enjoy her company more than most others.

But lately, the elderly men and women had been dying one after the other. Some say it was their time, and others thought it was a curse, but Rinoa could sense something much worse heading their way, so immense that the elders died before experiencing this mysteriously _great _omen. The wind _had_ wafted strangely recently; she could feel a slight change in its shifts.

And a familiar mystifying breeze engulfed her body instantaneously, almost exactly like one that occurred years ago on the day she retaliated a boy's taunts with _surprising_ great strength…

_Eleven-year-old Rinoa had been outside sweeping dirt from the walkway of her father's cabin to clear her heart of worry. Earlier that day, Calvin, a twelve-year-old redhead from the neighborhood, shoved her into the grass and told her to eat dirt. Rinoa, frightened by the boy's attack, got up from the ground and ran home. She avoided her father because she was too afraid to tell him the boys were bullying her again, and stayed outside in the backyard; that way, she could purposely hide from the sight of Calvin and his friends as well as shun her father._

_As the day progressed, she had relaxed and moved to the front yard, sweeping the unruly dirt from the walkway. With her head down, Rinoa muted out the entire world and focused on nothing else but sweeping, concentrating every grain of dirt back to the grass from whence it came._

_Suddenly, a wad of soggy dirt hit the front of Rinoa's shirt, smearing and leaving soil stains with tiny grit that clung as well. "Whoops, looks like you missed a spot!" Calvin yelled aloud, and the others laughed. Rinoa dropped the broom and turned away from the children's petty laughing._

_"Wait Rinoa!"_

_Without thinking, Rinoa looked back as her name was called, and was met with another mint of dirt. The boy and his followers laughed, "Dirt Face!" Rinoa held her face and cried into her hands, the cruelty of these adolescents had caused her pain everyday; so crying was the only way she would retaliate._

_Suddenly, a cool monotonous voice unexpectedly crept into her mind,_

**_Will you allow this mistreatment to continue?_**

_Rinoa immediately stopped crying, looking around herself for the owner of the mysterious bass voice. Calvin and his friends stopped laughing and looked around with her, then faced one another. After mumbling a few undertone words together, the three youngsters all shrugged their shoulders and faced Rinoa once again, and then Calvin pointed his index finger, judging her, "Rinoa's gone crazy!"_

_Rinoa, following giving up her search, thought for a second about the words spoken by the strange voice. Am I really going to let this go on and not do anything about it? Thought the eleven year old as she stared at the dirty index finger of her tormentor who had been judging her continuously. Another bundle of dirt knocked her from those curious thoughts and she looked up at the three children with smoldering eyes._

_Rinoa honestly didn't want to fight, her late mother had once told her that young ladies didn't fight and they shouldn't have to use bodily violence in any way. Feeling her fists shaking, yearning to be used, Rinoa fought back against her body's desire to scrap. No, I'll walk away. I've always walked away. Just as she was about to turn from the battle, a breeze pushed her body forward and she froze in her steps._

**_Turn away now, and they'll never leave you alone._**

_"She's so scared, she's shaking the dirt stains off her shirt!" The threesome laughed together and finally, Rinoa had lost her nerve. She kicked the broom from before her feet, and charged at Calvin, knocking over the boy and pummeling his face repeatedly until her father pulled her from the now crying young man. She watched him stand, holding his bloody nose as he ran away. She started to run after him, but was held back by the heavy hand of her father resting on her shoulder. "Sweetheart…I…I think you've done enough." He said, smoothing her shoulder to ease the tension and stress that had built up throughout the violent encounter; he had witnessed the entire event from his window inside, and ran out when he saw Rinoa inflicting hefty damage to Calvin's face, although he hated to disrupt what that boy truly deserved._

_Moments later, Calvin's mother came outside of her house that sat right down the street, and marched directly to Mr. Caraway and his daughter. The woman clenched her fist tightly and glared at the young girl standing at his side. It was then that her father muttered softly, "Go inside Rinoa, I'll handle this." Without questioning her father's judgments, Rinoa nodded and headed inside; her blue jean jumper sagged to the ground from the hostility, and her shoes were scuffed by the hard concrete of the sidewalk and dampened by the soil thrown from the boys. She wiped the soil crusts from her cheek and ignored the words from the blonde woman behind who her father was forced to deal with._

_Before going inside, Rinoa looked back, completely disregarding the chaotic scene taking place before her home, to at least try and catch a glimpse of her motivator, but like so many times before, no one was there._

"Rinoa, hello?" Her father's voice boomed into her conscious and woke her from the memory. She smiled and held onto the rake with both hands, playing coolly as if her mind hadn't wandered elsewhere.

"Yeah, what is it?"

"I've brought the groceries inside, but now I'm off to work. I'll see you in time for dinner, okay sugar?"

"Alright, have a good day."

"Same to you…and do try to make time to go out and have fun."

"Well I'm always having fun _here_ at—"

"Don't even finish that sentence. You're working yourself too hard, Rinoa! Go out and be young. I'm telling you, someday you're going to regret and wish you _had_ enjoyed your youth!"

"Oh dad, you sound like a shrink! Hurry up before you're late for work!" Rinoa said, dropping the rake to shove her father from the front lawn.

The old brunette laughed, "Yeah, yeah. By the time I get back, you'd better had done _something_ unproductive! Waste a day or two, you'll love it!" He bawled as he walked backward up the road near the mountainside caves.

"Well, I'll work extra hard around the lawn then, bye dad!" She yelled while waving him off as he shook his head and turned around to walk correctly toward the mining camp.

To the mountainside caves he went, workplace to most of the males of Dollet due to limited opportunities and substantial circumstances. The men either became minors at the cave, mining coal or anything else that proves valuable, or fishermen at sea, and each earned money by trading the finds with other towns of both near and far.

Her father had endured long hours of mining the Dollet Cavern since she was a child, and after her mother's untimely death, she saw even less of him. Rinoa had been sent to stay with other families and older women whenever he needed to work overtime at the cave.

Although staying with the women was sometimes exciting, Rinoa grew accustomed to his schedule and began to wait until the end of his workday while in the comfort of her home.

She had watched her father disappear into the mining camp just miles away from town, admiring his hard work and dedication. There were hardly any jobs for women, besides being a shopkeeper, but Rinoa never wanted to be cooped up inside an old store for the rest of her life. She pondered what to do with herself, and found she did her best thinking while cleaning up around the house. What started as a getaway activity, turned into a strong habit, one that Rinoa hadn't broken and would continue onward…

Finally deciding to call the raking a day, she walked to the shed and put the old worn rake away. …Still, the thought of dying elderly people sent goose bumps down her arms and legs in a rush. As she shivered, a warm breeze put her soul at ease. Rinoa looked around herself, trying to understand why the sudden winds had blown. _Why does it continue to happen?_ She asked herself silently and after a moment with no respond, Rinoa shrugged her shoulders and walked inside.

_That night…_

_Rinoa strolls in the grassy plains, holding her shoes in hand, walking aimlessly in the wilderness. A certain flower captures her attention, and curiosity forces her to explore, guided by the flower's radiating beauty. Coming to a full stop, she reaches down for the beautiful flower in hopes of claiming it as her own, but a great beast knocks her from her feet and towers her. Its yellow eyes seemed to absorb her soul in a matter of seconds as it leered down at her. Rinoa backs away from the beast as pallid wings unfold behind its back, and with an arm raised high, a long red skewering blade gleams in the light, suddenly traveling down and closer to her neck. In one thrust across, the red blade slashes at Rinoa, but before it pierces her skin—_

"Aaaaaaaah!" Rinoa screamed from her bed, grabbing her pillow and holding it as a shield from the attack.

"Rinoa!" Her father shouted as he burst into her bedroom seconds after hearing her scream. "Rinoa! What's wrong!"

"Dad!" She jumped out of bed and embraced him, "Dad, it was awful!"

"What was awful? Rinoa, what are you talking about!"

"…It felt so real…"

"…A nightmare?" The old man smirked, "…Aren't you a little old for nightmares, sweetheart?"

"…But it…" She sighed and looked at the floor.

"I'm sorry…" He said, patting her head, "I'm sure it wasn't anything serious."

"…Maybe you're right…I'll…I'll go back to sleep." She lied, knowing full well sleep was something that would be hard to come by as of now. Rinoa pretended to smile and let go of her father, and then turned back to the bed with a heavy sigh, "…Sorry for disturbing you."

"Don't worry, you didn't interrupt anything." Just as he turned to the door, faint buzzing came from outside Rinoa's closed window. "What's that?" He asked, walking toward the windowpane and peering out at the open view of the meadow.

The sight outside had puzzled him; far away flew thousands of tiny flies over the grassy plains and toward the town. Second by second, the flies grew in size and number, until he realized the bugs were in no way as tiny as flies would be.

"What do you see?" Rinoa asked her father as his body became frozen before the window, watching the cobalt bugs glide into town and closer to their cabin.

Rinoa walked toward him, but he faced her and screamed, "Rinoa, get down!" Diving over to push her onto the bed as the glass from the window shattered, her father had shielded her from dozens of Bite Bugs that flew inside. Rinoa and her father screamed as they recovered quickly from the leap to the bed and headed toward the door. He ran to his room to grab a shotgun he had kept beside his bed from his older days as a soldier in the army. Rinoa ran behind him inside the room as he quickly loaded a few rounds, and aimed his shotgun at the door, waiting for the Bite Bugs to find their way inside. "Rinoa stand back!" He yelled, running to the door, and slammed it shut before any of the airborne insect-beasts could fly in. Locking it and leaning his back against its wooden stiffness, Richard Caraway checked the pressure of his shotgun hoping that it wouldn't be too outdated to fire properly.

With the sound of vicious buzzing fizzling outside, Rinoa held her shoulders for comfort and trembled in the corner of his room beside a broad dresser. Although scared, she was too frightened to cry any tears. She whispered to her father as he continued studying his shotgun, "Dad, what are we going to do?"

"…I don't know. They might pass through, hopefully, before the night ends. But it's strange that these things are even bothering with us. They're usually settling further east around this time of season, and rarely ever make an appearance in these parts of the land. Something must have chased them from their nests…"

"…Something else?" Rinoa asked frightfully. "Something like what?"

Just as she asked, mighty footsteps stomped the ground right outside of their home and caused the earth to shake. Rinoa fell forward onto the dresser's side from the serious vibrations as her father saw a giant foot shatter their cabin, taking off the entire wall of his bedroom. "What is that!" They both screamed, and Rinoa crawled toward her father, avoiding the foot that had just crashed the roof.

"An _Adamantoise_? But…how did it get so _huge?"_ Richard cried out and grabbed onto Rinoa's shirt, forcing the girl to flee the room as well, but they ran into the locked door. Rinoa quickly unlocked the door and barged through as the Adamantoise continued to walk ahead. After reopening the door of his bedroom, the two had encountered hundreds of Bite Bugs once again. The bugs immediately took the initiative to attack the father and daughter with their giant poisonous stingers. Richard was stung twice, and Rinoa once as she reached for her father's shotgun. He was swatting away the bugs with the help of his gun before Rinoa took hold of it and aimed at a few that flew near their front door.

Pulling back the trigger, Rinoa shot the bugs at the door and blew a large hole in its frame; remnants and wooden particles shattered and flew through the air. She watched as her father kicked down the broken door and pull her arm, guiding her out of the cabin. He shoved Rinoa outside first, but was attacked by even more Bite Bugs from behind. The Adamantoise released a repulsive blue mist that gushed throughout their home, sending Rinoa soaring in the air and further away, blown back by the sudden wave of energy. "Aaaaah!" She screamed and landed roughly on the ground, listening as the yells of her father calling to her became faint with the explosiveness from the Adamantoise's cold attack and the bite bug's venomous buzzing.

Richard watched in horror as the Adamantoise readied to punt his body across the room of the cabin. It flung his body against the wall and shot more of the same blue mist, causing him to stiffen in pain and confusion as blood splattered from a weakened cough of his as he lay injured on the ground. The old man yelped and tried to rise, but had lost his energy after receiving the deathblow from the Adamantoise. Richard closed his eyes as the cold mist from the overlarge turtle gradually froze his body.

As she lay on the ground, Rinoa could feel her being trembling with searing heat, yet a strange new strength encouraged her to stand once more. And as she rose to her feet slowly, Rinoa found she could see clear through the darkness; in her eyes, night became day.

Rinoa studied her hands for a second as an awesome power jolted through her body. _What is this?_ She thought to herself, but soon was snapped from her wondering as she heard the scream of her father once more, "Aaaah, Rinoa!"

_Dad!_

She wanted to run, but found that she had been rooted in one place, only to feel _power_ give off and take on the pursuit instead. In place of her _dashing_, a clear airwave shot from her hands and repelled the beast from injuring her father further. Joining the clear mist were a few white spheres of light that collided into the giant Adamantoise and caused the beast to shrivel rapidly with a squirm of fear. And finally, with a wave of her hand, Rinoa sent a gust of wind energy around herself, which multiplied in ripples and demolished each Bite Bug that had terrorized the town.

As this occurred, Rinoa began to remember the woman that vanished before her feet in those very same plains seven years ago. The woman's name was Edea, and she was a sorceress… Why had that thought suddenly come to mind, but more importantly, why hadn't she understood that Edea was a sorceress over the years, _after_ the incident took place? The young woman stood in one spot, clueless as to why so much energy emitted from her soul, when a spirit of understanding overwhelmed her body and caused her newfound powers to abandon her out in the open field. Rinoa still found it difficult to move and had collapsed in the meadow, fatigued.

Moments after, when things had calmed down, the townspeople came outside one by one to inspect what damage might have been done by the attacks of Bite Bugs and the Adamantoise. All were stunned when they saw of every house in the small town of Dollet, only _one_ had been demolished: the Caraway's cabin.

The people gathered together and walked toward the cabin, finding Caraway frozen solid in the corner of his wrecked home. A few people tended to him as some began to pull away when they saw a wounded Rinoa limping back into town, merely falling down on her hands and knees.

"It's Rinoa!" A young girl cried aloud and tugged on her mother's shirt while pointing to Rinoa, but before anyone could walk over to her, someone stopped the pursuit and pointed again. "Look!"

Rinoa had begun to glow a light violet shade, which frightened each townsperson from his skin. The women gasped, and a child hid her face within her mother's lower thigh, the security of a mother's protection. Each knew what was witnessed; such sight was undeniable and _hideous_. Everyone finally became aware that Rinoa was a monster.

"She's a sorceress! She's going to kill us all!" A woman cried while grabbing her young and making way to their home.

"Not if I can help it!" No one but the taunting boy from Rinoa's past called out, a now eighteen-year-old Calvin yelled as he held his shovel up high. "I knew she wasn't normal, she was never like us! …Come on, we can get rid of her, there's no way I'm going to let her destroy our town! Who's with me!" He began to get all the men rowdy, and a few young boys ran home, returning with shovels and pitch forks to toss into the hands of the grown men in Dollet.

After the men had equipped themselves for a battle with the young sorceress, they approached her as she picked herself up from the ground.

Rinoa, lost in a disoriented state of mind, had tried to call out to them for help, but her voice had failed her terribly. She saw them gather anything and everything to their defenses, and prepare to strike her down. Fearing that her end was near, Rinoa covered her head with her hands and screamed into the darkest depths of her heart, _HELP ME!_

And almost instantly, she received an answer from none other than the monotonous voice that had crept into her mind throughout the years in her life, pushing her to defend herself from tormenters and oppressors. In three simple words that made all the difference, the voice spoke,

**_-As you wish...-_**

The night sky grew darker and more ominous; the dimming atmosphere had hidden every star and the moon itself. All grew frightened when an earsplitting roar emerged far away; sending monstrous winds gusting across the lands, which blew the shovels and poles from the hands of their wielders. Men had tried to shield themselves with their arms, fighting back against the whirlwinds, but to no avail seeing as the wind had been persistent.

Calvin gritted his teeth together and managed to fight the onslaught of wind. "Die!" He said as he ran toward Rinoa, bringing the shovel down to strike the girl's skull, but the shovel was knocked back with brute force and spun away, forever lost to the wild death wind. He looked at his hands and down to Rinoa while questioning the possibilities, "What the-" Just then, he felt the presence of another between he and Rinoa, and soon found himself staring into the lower abdomen with that of a _lofty_ beast. As he looked up, he saw a white bearded chin from the large beast swaying rhythmically with the windy shifts. Its inward growling came from a mouth of great jaws that flashed sharp fangs to the young man, and when he raised his eye level a bit higher, saw that the beasts' yellow eyes had quickly become red. "…Oh…my-"

Griever instantly snarled into Calvin's face before he could finish speaking, blowing him back yards away from its sorceress. The winds continued to bluster as the lion went through the small crowd of men with bloodthirsty arm blades drawn, gleaming red in the night as he began to slay them one at a time, _sporting_ the thrill of taking lives. The people all cried, "Run _now_!"

Watching the beast glow crimson red in the darkness, Rinoa frightfully questioned her _savior's_ existence.

Despite the darkness of its smooth fur, Rinoa saw that five vividly scarlet horns stood tall on its sallow head, resembling a crown made of rubies, and on each arm, one scorching scarlet blade stretched from its wrist, soaring passed the elbows. Its blade was similar to that of an axe, only thinner and finer with a _razor_ edge, seeing as the beast slashed across a man's back with great _ease_, and was undoubtedly attached to its skeletal system like a natural weapon. Furious with each powerful attack, the beast wrought fear in every man's eye. Rinoa could see the lion's tail waving about like a snake behind its great frame, displaying the thrill of slaughtering as its master instantly faced Rinoa with daunting eyes; never had she shuddered at such a sight. For one moment, Rinoa could swear the beast smirked at her before turning back to hunt another civilian who had merely ran past him to escape. Again, Rinoa began to question her _protector,_

_-What… are you?-_

Just as Griever went to strike down another man, it had frozen, bemused by her questioning. She was a sorceress; therefore, she should have _known_ just who or what _he_ was, right; Griever, Protector of Sorceresses, _correct_? The beast growled and turned to the injured sorceress in an angry huff as she continued the useless chattering. Rinoa was so fixated with the rumbling beast that she hadn't realized she spoke to him telepathically.

_-Whatever you are, don't kill them! Please, I beg you!-_

**_-You begged me to help you as you were on the verge of being slain by these men, yet you now wish to have their lives spared?-_**

_-Yes! Please, help **me!-**_

**_-Then, what do you ask of me?-_**

Rinoa couldn't decide. She was in danger, but her father was back home unconscious, or dead even. She wanted to help him, but the man probably hadn't survived the attack, as much as it pained her to admit his probable fairing; however, the young sorceress' mind clouded before her choice had been decided, and she fell out onto the ground once more. The darkness that surrounded she and others had melded with a shear aqua blue mist and scattered across the skies, all the sorcery had ceased and fled with her collapsed state.

Last the surviving townsmen saw of the beast and the sorceress, was Rinoa being taken into its arms and flown away. With their escape, the mist cleared away and returned the early morning sky above to its former glory. People scattered, searching the grounds for loved ones when one woman found her beloved son…lifeless.

"Calvin!" She screamed aloud, clutching the boy in her arms and rocking as if he were an infant. Other women looked on and passed the mother and her son, praying that their husbands, sons, brothers, and nephews were not sharing that unfortunate fate.

Meanwhile, Richard remained on the floor of his destroyed home, not dead, but the cold breath of the Adamantoise and the Bite Bug's poison had numbed his body so much, he feared to be in his last hour amongst the living. He stared at the collapsed ceiling, speechless, and breathless even, because a monster had taken his daughter away. What was worse, she made no fuss about the matter; she _willingly_ allowed that beast to take her, as he could tell. The old man lied still, hearing the peaceful insects in the wild, and the whispers from his neighbors echoing in his ears. Only the thought of his daughter's survival could mollify his body.

_Rinoa…even if you are a sorceress…you're still my daughter, and I'll…I'll always love you._ He thought to himself before allowing death to overtake his being once and for all…

**

* * *

**

**Author's Note:**

* * *

_Just as I promised, this chapter followed! I know I went about posting this story the wrong way, so forgive me. And as a little mood booster I got a little help from someone..._

_Rinoa: Look into my eyes. You're- going- to- review- her! You're- going- to -review- her! ---_

_lol, I'm just kidding._

_Thanks to Rin Seren- Hey! How have you been? (By the way, I'm still waiting for your update with Truth Be Told, hehe.) Anyways, I'm glad you're interested. I've been writing a lot lately, so much that my poor mind is almost burnt out. I just hope this part isn't a drag. (Oh yeah, I finally found out where you got that line from "All work and no play make us dull boys and girls" lol. The Shining! Lol Great movie that is!) So, Thanks for the review!_

_Happy Youkai- Thank you very much, I really hope you've enjoyed this one as well. I do hope to unveil more of the story with the next update, which will probably take sometime. Anyways, thank you!_

_Alright already, if the first was a drag, I apologize, but I hope this one will brace you for the chapters to follow. Speaking of which, updates will be slow do to schooling…sadly. The next chapters will be shorter, I hope! lol Well now, if there are other readers, please speak up! _

_Thanks again,_

_Stardust Ray _


	3. Recalling

_**The heart of a lion has no keeper…**_

_Recalling_

**_3_**

High in the sky, Griever held an unconscious Rinoa in his arms as his pearl wings flapped rhythmically with the winds, bringing her to safer lands. The beast had glanced down once or twice and watched the sleeping young woman, still injured from her first and passed battle, resting as if she had never slept before in her entire life. He hadn't understood why she never recognized him; after all, he was there with her for most of her life. The two of them had met seven years ago with the transfer of powers from sorceress to sorceress. He had also encouraged her to defend herself in tough battles against her enemies in her town and anywhere there might have been a problem, so just why hadn't she known him?

Griever, a legendary beast around for countless generations, was loyal to his duties. He fought beside many powerful sorceresses, but had only been summoned in desperate situations, more often upon the death of a sorceress. Having him to their aid, some sorceresses became reckless and thought themselves invincible, but it was during those times that Griever's soul had been ejected from their usage and wandered to another or simply never returned their plea for insurance.

He looked down in his arms once more and studied the young sorceress. Of all his past encounters, she definitely differed and had been on a level of her own; _allowing_ those men to keep hold of their lives? The beast growled… All those years of torment and she simply allowed them to go free… By his power, Dollet was not out of harm's way. But the beast feared the intense control by the young sorceress, for never in his past had he deliberately obeyed an order. Even with her collapse he would continue to fight, but somehow found himself inferior to her and was unable to give into his own instincts.

No other could pull the beast from his passion, no other but Hyne herself.

For centuries, Griever had stood by the side of Hyne, the first and most powerful sorceress of all time who had worked to protect the people from any and all dangers. He had been her loyal servant, and had carried out anything she asked of him; in fact, Hyne was the only sorceress Griever respected and admired so much, mainly because she was his creator and had created him at a time in need of a trustworthy companion, should there have been any trouble by the land beasts. But as time grew own, the people began to rely only on their own handmade weapons and the need for a powerful sorceress to save them was no more. Feeling betrayed and hurt, Hyne fled the lands and isolated herself from all others. In those times, Griever saw a change in his sorceress, no longer the gentle and pure soul she had always been. Hyne decided to put to use her great sorcery powers to wrought fear and havoc upon the lands. In doing so, she cursed the beast with the power of bloodlust; a passion that would never subside until her will was done.

From then on, he had become her puppet and fought against millions of soldiers until finally, the people dropped to their knees and surrendered to her.

Hyne was pleased with them and began to control the people with _her_ power, further pushing their limits, further decreasing any chance of forgiveness. And soon, Hyne became lost in herself, for she had everything her damaged soul desired, _she_ was satisfied; however, Griever was not. Hyne may have held the world in her hands, but Griever was only a servant, never applauded, never thanked by his sorceress…never free.

With the world's forces uniting and under her control, there were no wars, only servants, mere peasants living to please Hyne alone. The pride of that sorceress had stabbed the heart of her one and only true companion; _he_ was her servant for many years, why should there have been a need for another, _thousands_ more? Wasn't it his duty alone to protect and serve her? Soon after, Hyne had no need for him because no one rose against her, she was feared, the sorceress was feared alone, and Griever had been forgotten.

Within the passing years, Griever found himself turning against his sorceress… Watching and waiting, collecting more and more reasons to go through with his desires, until finally he lost control of himself and slew the sorceress on her very throne.

"_Griever, stand down! You have no power over me!" Hyne, the grief driven sorceress, yelled to her guardian…no her executioner in a mournful cry. _

Even at that time, he had expected to emerge from the battle the victor, but nothing would prepare him for what would follow.

_As she lay across his paws, her abdomen stabbed with penetrative claws that caused a river of crimson blood to seep down into her hazel garment, Hyne managed one thing, "I created you…therefore if I die, then you shall follow me…but because you possess a soul of your own, you cannot simply vanish…I shall banish you, trap you into your own prison…so you can never live for yourself. Because I have always been grateful you were beside me and know that I deserve to die this way and by your hands…I shall only…damn you to a ring, and in that ring will you live…If it is used properly, you will be forced to help a soul in need of you, but only if that soul desires your assistance… "_

And before Griever could escape her wrath, Hyne had created a ring from pure silver, carved into the shape of a beast, blessed and cursed with the powers of the divine beast itself. And for eternity, Griever was forever prisoner to this shell…until it came into the possession of one man whose heart was kept by no one, whose life was shaped by scorn and anguish, whose heart ached for strength and dexterity, for pride.

Griever felt the body in his arms shiver ever so lightly, and caused him to look down, leaving the past in the past. He was glad she had been recovering, but the last battle hadn't gone as he hoped; …so many people got away…

Rinoa, feeling the wind cause her hair to prickle her pale face, opened her eyes and discovered she was airborne and high above the ground. "Aaaah, what's…Aaaah!" The young woman screamed and nearly broke loose from the arms of her protector by digging her nails into his forearms. Griever tightened his grip and pulled her closer to his broaden body; assuring that she was safe and secure. She looked at him while silencing her screams, even though the sight of him terrified her tremendously, Rinoa suddenly felt a sense of calmness emitting from its hold. Noticing the beast hadn't looked down at her for any reason, Rinoa relaxed and closed her eyes, allowing herself to sleep once again.

----------

Almost an hour later, Griever landed at the edge of Obel Lake where a mystifying fog hazed the waters. He placed Rinoa softly onto the muddy edges of its water and backed away slowly, hoping she could catch up to her much needed rest at another time.

Feeling the sudden change of condition around herself, Rinoa opened her eyes and looked straight into the sky. Shortly after, she realized she had been abandoned. …_We've…landed?_

"…Hello?" She called out, hoping the beast had left her in the company of some random persons. "Hello?" She questioned again and turned herself about, searching the nearby areas. After no response, Rinoa decided to walk closer to the lake to wash the mess and gore from herself, left by the beasts she was forced to fight alongside her father.

Why had those monsters suddenly come after she and her dad anyway? More importantly, why had her body taken control and fought back against the predators. Rinoa crouched to the ground and covered her heart with her hands; why was she here now? Shouldn't she have been back home with her father? He needed her didn't he? She should've been there with him and protected him, why on earth would she just abandon him?

Rinoa stood to her feet and clenched her hand into a tight fist as she muttered, "I have to get back. I have to help dad…He still needs me."

**_-Your father is already dead, and the town wants nothing to do with you.- _**The beast had spoken directly into her mind.

"…Wha-what do you mean my dad's…no…No! I don't believe you! You're lying!" Rinoa yelled out, looking around in every direction trying to find the beast and direct her anger to it.

_**-I have no need to lie. What I've told you is the truth, and it is for you to believe me now…-**_

"Why should I? I don't even know _what_ you are! For all I know, you could've kidnapped me after killing off the others in Dollet!--Aaah!" Rinoa backed away as Griever appeared before her, hovering the ground with his arms folded across his chest.

_**-Wrong. I have saved your life. I am the last of your worries, and the only one you can trust. I am called, Griever…-**_

"…Griever? …The beast I've seen in my dreams?" _But in my dreams, you were trying to kill me…_

**_-…_Much_ lies ahead of you, and you will need plenty of rest.- _**He said, motioning his hand to a house that stood yards away from the open lake then vanishing into the thin air as Rinoa's head had turned back to see the house. Even out of her sight, his voice rung, **_-It is Edea's home…have a look inside. There, you will find the answers you seek, but do not come out for any reason.-_**

"But…where are you going?" He hadn't answered her, and then there was dry nothingness. Rinoa sighed and turned toward the house, whispering, "Well…I'm Rinoa…"

* * *

"…Descendents of Hyne…mages…evil figures…tyrants…" Rinoa slid her finger down the dusty page of a wide book from the wooden shelf of the mysterious house Griever sent her to. She had been inside reading from plenty of books at once, unable to comprehend most of what her wandering eyes read. Finally, she shut the book violently and tossed it across the room, "I'm a monster!" The young woman cried into her hands as she snuggled herself in the corner of the loveseat. "…No wonder they tried to kill me…I'm…I'm a sorceress…" 

Bringing her right hand from her warm forehead, Rinoa studied her hand. "Then what happened to me seven years ago…it wasn't a hallucination, it _actually_ happened! That woman, Edea…she gave me her powers, and I've been housing them ever since. So that voice I heard all those times when facing danger or other threats…was actually Griever talking to me."

She stood to her feet, "Does that mean I summoned him in Dollet? Did I really call out to him!…Then that means…I can never show my face there again. They'll never accept me…dad probably hates me too… Griever…he was probably right."

Rinoa ran to the door, but stopped when she distinctly remembered Griever telling her to stay inside. Even though following his command wouldn't solve anything, danger probably lurked outside of that door. Not wanting to use her powers again, Rinoa sighed and turned away.

"…Just a little longer…"

She folded her arms as she thought deeply about her situation, about what she had turned into, and about her father. _What if Griever actually _was_ telling the truth?_ _No, he couldn't have been honest could he? He's just a dumb animal that came to my rescue._ _Yeah, that's what happened._ Rinoa nodded and sighed in relief; lying to herself had always been the trick to calming her mind of worries. Although it was not always the best method, but still was effective enough to keep her in higher spirits.

…_Just what exactly _is_ Griever anyway?_ Her mind wandered back to the bookshelf, and suddenly, Rinoa just couldn't help herself. Seconds later, she found a book pertaining to Griever and his existence, and why he had come to her aid back in Dollet.

_Griever, forever protector and guardian to the sorceress, is forever bonded and will never leave her side. As the sorceress uses her magic, the beast will use its strength to ensure she is not wounded or killed in combat. Though its strength is truly unmatchable, the lion can never use its own power for selfish desires. _She skimmed through: _…Griever has been around for centuries. …Every documented sorceress had been recorded to have it as an aid. Because Griever has taken the form of a lion, it is curious to have relation with that of the Lion Heart—_

"The ink is blotted by blood and I can't read anymore after that…" Rinoa closed the book. "Obviously, he and Edea were more than acquaintances but…why isn't she still alive? …_Some_ protector he is." Rinoa grabbed the book, and placed it onto the coffee table before the loveseat where she sat. "What am I supposed to do now, sit here and read all day? …I can't do that, dad's going to be worried about me…and what about all those people back in town."

Rinoa rose from the loveseat and walked toward an old dusty window that displayed the full length of the lake's calm waters. Obel Lake was rumored to be such a bizarre place; no one had ever gotten close to its dark waters.

While some say it is a beautiful aspect of all nature, others believe it to be full of dark spirits and other wicked things. To top it all off, they said the atmosphere will make anyone go insane. Not to mention taking a canoe and riding the calm waters; one might not return to shore.

She sighed, staring into the water, and with those thoughts in mind, she questioned why Griever would ever bring her here, more importantly, why in the world would Edea live in this place? …_Yet, being a sorceress, I guess this lake welcomed her more than the people had…_

_Will I ever end up like Edea?_ Rinoa thought, moving her hand up to a necklace she usually wore around her neck when going to sleep. Her mother's ring was attached, bringing about a sense of peace to the young woman's heart whenever she felt alone in the cold dark world. Lately, she had been encouraged by other forces and rarely ever took the time to reach for her mother's ring.

Rinoa looked down and suddenly noticed she was still in her puffy light blue pajamas. The young woman merely giggled at the sight of herself and rested her hands at her hips. _I can't believe I'm still wearing these…_

She looked around at the wide room, in search of clothes, anything to replace her pajamas. Although the house did not appear similar to others from its exterior, it was completely normal on the inside. There were four rooms to make up the wooden house; your average living room, bedroom, den, and kitchen, all filled with long draping curtained windows and extravagant puffiness that signified Edea might have adored the sheltering coziness. Hardly any light had shone through because of the detailed curtains that draped down, and the walls were dark and rotted, it was a wonder the house still stood. Rinoa had to take another breath to reassure she wouldn't smother at the sight of chunky fabric and cloths lying everywhere. She had to admit it was a simple house, but a little too much for her. She had rather it resemble her home in the cabin with her father... The young woman sighed to herself and fell across the loveseat.

She lay, staring at the bloody book that sat on the table when thinking about the verse recently read. _Why_ was there _blood_ in the book anyway? Rinoa sat up quickly and opened its worn pages once more and discovered all she had read, was now gone. The words were no more…

"…What…?" She flipped through page after page and saw the blotches of blood become thicker until she saw a half torn page, one with words that seemed to blossom from the book and speak directly to her soul. Though the page was torn, she saw words that were hand written and one word in particular that sent goose bumps across her skin.

_-noa, the real beast rests beneath you in a box locked by the hands of mortals, chained in misery for ages now and ages to come…unearth this beast and use it well…-_

Rinoa immediately dropped the book, panting in fright. A few moments passed before she could ponder what had just happened.

"…Noa? Was it supposed to be my name?" She said, moving away from the book. Rinoa stood in silence trying to understand the cause when suddenly; she could hear faint breathing in the room with her. Frightened, she stayed completely still, moving her eyes around to see who had been inside the house.

On the window, she could see fogginess forming and disappearing, almost as if someone were breathing into the glass. Rinoa cautiously stepped backward when she could see a face in the windowpane, reflecting like a mirror…some face she knew hadn't been familiar, glaring at her. The girl immediately took off in a hurry and burst through the front door. She scurried around toward the back of the house, and stepped on a plank that broke and ripped through the surface of the ground. "Aaaaah!" Screaming at the top of her lungs, she fell into the hole and landed hard in its depth.

Scared and shaking, Rinoa studied the trench while standing to her feet. _Where in the world am I? And who does Griever think he is, locking me in that haunted house? _

Taking a step, Rinoa found that she had kicked a small metal box. "Huh…what was that?" She stooped down and picked up the chained box, studying the exquisite designs carved around its sides. Holding the box in the palm of her hand, Rinoa allowed the loose chain to slip off and fall to the ground. "…That book…it mentioned a box…but I wonder what could be inside."

Rinoa curiously lifted the box's lid, flinching at a foreign scent that emerged and overtook her senses, which caused the young woman to collapse on the ground, dropping the box and its contents as well.

* * *

…_I smell something…is it burning? …Ah…this bed feels nice… Bed? _Rinoa opened her eyes quickly, too soon for herself and sent a sharp migraine thumping across her forehead. "Oww…" The young woman grimaced, moving her hand quickly to ease the tension and closing her eyes for rest when she felt a warm hand against her cheek and a towel wiping her face. 

_Who…? _

Rinoa forced her eyes open once more, trying to disregard the pain, and saw the blurry image of a light skin man with dark brown hair and _yellow _eyes. Seeing this, she gasped and pointed at his eyes, and he nodded once with a smirk. As the man lowered his face closer to hers, Rinoa saw his eyes glow from yellow, to an electrifying blue as he whispered, "What part of 'come out for no reason' didn't you understand?" Instantly, his eyes were yellow again and Rinoa shuddered.

Overwhelmed with much _excitement_ and fear, Rinoa passed out once more.

* * *

**My Words and Thoughts…**

* * *

_Hi again, I really hope to move this story right along. As you can see…it must be very dry. Lol. Well now, I hope this chapter sets the pace, now that someone besides Rinoa is in, yay! Now from here own, there will be a slight change… Hopefully nothing too drastic! But anyway, I would appreciate if everyone would review, it really motivates me to continue and right now…I don't know what to do. If you think it lacks anything, then please, tell me, I'm all ears and eyes. lol_

_Anyways, I still have a thanks list, Woo! lol_

_Lady-Rinoa- Thank you very much, I wanted this story to be very different than my others. Your support is greatly appreciated, and not to worry, I plan to bring the romance in sometime. Yay! _

_Blue- Haha, yeah, that will do. I'm glad you're making it official! Woo! lol. But thanks for helping out, and I look forward to your help with the future chapters. _

_Alright people…please review, I really need some motivation. Lol_

_Thanks again, and thanks for reading._

_**StardustRay**_


	4. Warning

…_**Yet the heart of a man begs to differ.**_

_Warning_

_**4**_

_There out on the driest of lands, a roll of thunder cries into the night. As the sky flashes with lightning, beams of blue light glimmer with grace from the heavens above and scatters to the face of the earth; one lone gunblade falls from this light and tears through the surface of the ground fiercely, implanting itself as a crimson lightning bolt strikes its handle. Just as the sword touches down, a man, whose eyes matched the Katana's blade that was as blue as a star sapphire, falls to his knees in agony before the blade. Rinoa sees this man struggling, and walks toward him, squatting down to meet his eyes as he looks up into hers. And when he stares, Rinoa feels Griever's presence also, and she averts her gaze from his blue eyes and to Griever, who stood some distance away from this man. _

_Griever stretched out his pallid wings and leered down at her, abandoning his loyal deeds as he reappeared behind the man kneeling at the foot of the gunblade. Griever folded his arms, his demeanor remaining that of a guardian._

_Rinoa looked around herself, noticing the world was at a different dimension. She clenched her fist and brought it to her mother's ring as she prepared to speak to the great beast. "Griever…where am I?"_

"…_As you sleep, your sorcery guides you, bringing you here to the realm of sorceresses, the abyss of heaven and hell. It is made up of the past and present, but it will never have a future."_

"…_What do you mean?"_

"…_What you call nightmares are actually events from the past…your ancestor's past… You see what they saw, exactly as it happened…" _

"…_My ancestors…?"_

"_Sorceresses…"_

_Rinoa downcast her eyes, staring at the man who was kneeling before the gunblade. "…If I'm seeing other sorceresses' pasts, then…who is he?"_

_Griever's throat rumbled and his eyes became hazy as he roared into Rinoa's mind, "…A deluded fool…" _

_She could see the brown haired man struggling on the ground, pushing his gloved fingers through the crumbling crusts of soil. He was the same man whose eyes were once yellow, just as Griever's. "…I don't understand…why is he here?"_

"_In truth, I have never met him before and only know of our circumstances. …Though I am Griever, a beast of eternity, I am only a mere spirit. For me to be here now, I draw upon the strength of this _body_ as a source to make me whole… _His _soul has been trapped inside me, paying the price of the many sins he's committed, such is the punishment of his greed and bloodlust which he has entrusted into the ring. … I appear to aid you in times of trouble, but I am forever in a battle against the mind of _this _mortal, this _fiend_…"_

"_What ring and what battle? And why is he your source?" Rinoa asked, approaching the man slowly. _

"_You know well about this ring, you know everything your ancestors knew. Open your mind, Rinoa…and you will remember the past clearly. You will never want for any information because all data resides within your soul."_

"…_I can't…" _

"_You are a sorceress, this task is not impossible."_

"…_No." She said, stopping to study the gunblade first, a magnificent craftsmanship. She could see designs of a lion carved on the blade, shining a brilliant blue amidst the dark. Finally, Rinoa lifted her eyes from the gunblade's designs and stared into Griever's demanding orbs. "…I saw her…I saw Hyne… I don't know how, but I remember seeing you at her side. …She was evil and she brought misery to the world, and…you killed her, didn't you?"_

_Griever shifted his folded arms a moment before speaking. How did Rinoa know of Hyne already? Had his thoughts interfered with the girl's sleep? He answered her, "…It was the only option I could take. Hyne had lost her pride as a sorceress and further tainted the title by becoming ruthless, using her powers for the worst. I had no choice but to end her time…"_

"…_But she wasn't always ruthless…she became that way after everyone rejected her. Griever, tell me…has this happened to all the sorceresses? …Edea was on the verge of death when I first met her, had they run her from their kingdom as well?"_

"_Edea tried to defy the fact that it is the inevitable fate of a sorceress to not be accepted by humanity, and she faced the consequences of the human species for doing so… The need to be with living mortals once again ultimately drives Sorceresses into a terrible rage, one that can only be cured by blood…by terror. A satisfaction that is both dangerous and unconquerable. …"_

"…_No, I could never hurt anyone."_

"_I have seen these things happen. Women fall victim to their own power."_

"…_I'm not like them! I'm different!" Rinoa yelled, keeping a tight grip on her mother's ring. _

" _Whether you accept it or not, you are a sorceress and people will perceive differently of you. No one will want to be around you, nor will they stand the sight of you. It is best if you remain here in isolation for the remainder of your days."_

"_Damn you!"_

"_And I was once damned to the ring worn by this man…set aside for centuries and called back just to serve you!" Griever snarled, landing heavily on the ground causing Rinoa and the brunette to lose their footing. As the man fell forward to the ground, Griever folded his wings behind and lowered his tone, "…Because I am entitled to your safety, I have brought you here to warn you about this mortal."_

"…_What…what about him?"_

"_There was a pendant inside the box you found underground. That pendant allowed me to become human, but somehow I have not been able to return to _this_ form as you see now. I am afraid he is awakening, all but slowly, and by the time this dream ends, he will have gained full control… Rinoa, believe not what he speaks to you, I am your _only_protector. Whatever his needs may be are only selfish and will never aid you. Know that I will never harm you, and I will also remain at your side. I am but a spirit, therefore I can exist without the need of a form, but he will have my physical power and strength. His heart is full of hate and rage; it sees no one at all._ _Beware…"_

"_What? You're not going to be there…?"_

"…_I cannot, so long as he wears that pendant. Rid him of the pendant, and I'll stay true to my deeds."_

"…_I understand…" Rinoa dropped her eyes from Griever and to the man kneeling before she and the gunblade. She whispered, "…I'll help you, Griever…I promise." Rinoa listened as the roaring thunderstorms calmed, but the winds continued to blister through the dry lands. She continued her words, "…After all, there shouldn't be two monsters in this world, should there?"_

"…_You are not a monster, what you have is special. Hold on to it for as long as you possibly can Rinoa, and do not let him take advantage of you."_

"_I won't…" She said, staring at the struggling man. He fought back against the forces and raised his head to meet her eyes, pleading her without words with his heavy pants of air. Rinoa gasped as he whispered between his breaths, '…Help me.'_

Rinoa shot from the bed, cold sweat beading on her forehead, and looked around herself, reassuring the dream had not become reality. She saw that the stranger had fallen asleep sitting in a chair against the wall of Edea's bedroom. Now that he was asleep, she could sneak from the room undetected. With a sigh of relief, Rinoa moved aside the heavy covers on the mattress and crawled quietly from the bed, but as her feet landed on the cold floor, a loud creak resonated within the bedroom. She placed a watchful eye on the sleeping stranger, noticing he shifted in his chair from her sudden noises, but after a few moments or so, he had relaxed and drifted back into a peaceful slumber.

Tiptoeing from the bedside, Rinoa made her way to the door, but suddenly felt a strong hand on her shoulder pulling her back into the room. When she turned around, she saw the stranger's face was downcast, intending to hide his features, especially his eyes, behind long tresses of brown hair.

Hoping to rid a feeling of distrust that loomed over her spirit, Rinoa questioned her _caretaker_. "Griever…?"

"…Wrong." He announced, immediately revealing his eyes that were as blue as the rays she had witnessed in her dreams, and she saw across his lips was a grim smirk. Without any warning, she was flung to the bed and the man stomped toward her, putting his hand around her throat and threshing her back against the bed with force.

She closed her eyes when a sharp object plunged toward her face, stopping centimeters before her left eyelid. Too frightened to scream, Rinoa placed her hands on his arm and tried to pull him away, but found that he had quickly overpowered her, driving her further into the bed. Crying in pain, she kicked her legs whilst underneath his hold, but he touched the sharp blade to her cheek, causing Rinoa to scream out, "What do you want from me?"

"Tell me where it is!" The angry man shot back.

The young woman cried, "Where _what_ is, I don't know what you're talking about!**"**

"Don't try those foolish tricks with me! You're a _sorceress,_ _aren't_ you? You _know_ what I'm looking for!"

Rinoa snarled, "I don't know what you're talking about!"

"The Lion Heart, that's _what_!"

"…Lion Heart?" She opened her eyes slowly.

"Yes, now where is it!"

"I don't know, I _swear_! Please don't kill me!" She said, begging him with dreadful eyes. His face, scrunched with anger, immediately softened when he looked into her panicky eyes. "…Please?" She begged quietly, wearing a face of fear.

He released his hand from her throat and moved from over her, leaving her on the bed with distraught and uneasiness. The stranger rested the dagger into in his pocket and left the room in haste.

Rinoa held her heart, feeling it beating triple times within each passing second. She had never been so terrified in all her life. Even with the events that took place before, she felt that this time placed her closer to death than ever.

---------

Rinoa had long silenced her crying, snuggling herself on the loveseat in the dining room, fearing what might happen if that man came back for her. She was glad to know he had vanished from the house and hadn't returned since their encounter; she was greatly relieved. Rinoa stared down into the cracks of the wooden floor of Edea's house, pondering the words Griever had spoken to her in the dream.

Griever was a complexity; at one time she felt at peace when near him, but another, she felt like her powers could be used to strike him down. Earlier the beast was calm and had simply told her not to worry, he was her protector and would always be. But later on, he went on to say how the world would reject her and basically kill her if she ever tried to live in harmony with them. Rinoa rose from the loveseat and walked toward the window, noticing how much darker the night became even though morning was hours away. She sighed and pushed aside the curtains. _I was right all along, I've got to get out from here and get home. I just want to see dad again… _

The young woman backed away from the depressing window display and looked at the front door, an inviting sight indeed. She pushed her hand up to the silver necklace and grabbed the ring attached, gathering her strengths and blessing her legs with the power to carry her away. And in one breath she had approached the door. _I can do this…_

Rinoa quietly turned the knob and never shut the door behind; doing such would only alarm _him_, wherever he might have been.

In the darkness, she failed to see the way ahead. The lake water was distinguishable from the ground, but the shallow waters had settled so _calmly_ that Rinoa began having trouble telling the two apart. In her best, she ran on the shore, guided by the waters, and away from Edea's home. The farther away from the house she ran, the quieter the area became, and when running, the silence became her _greatest_ fear.

---------

As time had passed, the young woman made great progress; though still near the lake, she was far away from Edea's house.She thought it to be morning, but the sun had yet to rise. Rinoa began to wonder if it were morning at all.

Out on the creek, she studied the lake's width and depth. She crouched down on the shore and placed her hand into the cold waters, waving it back and forth with her hand, doing such had calmed her heightened nerves. Rinoa stopped to study her shadowy reflection in the lake's dimness, and saw tired eyes with pale skin due to the recent stressful events of the past days.

Bringing a hand of water to her face, Rinoa splashed it onto her skin to awake herself further; she would need to be completely focus if the escape was going to be successful. The coldness of the water scent chills down her spine, and she could feel the cool dampened air all the better. Noticing the temperature had dropped as soon as her face became soaked, Rinoa attempted to wipe the water off with the arm sleeve of her pajama top.

Suddenly, she heard a splash out in the shallow waters. Looking up to scan the area, Rinoa spotted someone swimming leisurely in the lake's murkiness. From the distance, she made out what seemed to be the same brunette who had attacked her. With his back to her, she saw water dripping from his hair as he treaded the waters to catch his breath.

Then, as if sensing eyes on him, he faced her; his electrifying blue eyes glistening in the night like those of a night owl. When spotted, Rinoa gasped and covered her mouth, but he continued to swim through the water without caring of her presence. Hoping to become invisible for a mere second, she closed her eyes and disregarded the fact that he had already seen her.

With her eyes closed, her surroundings became clear and it was then that Rinoa heard a sizzling sound nearby. "…What is that?" She asked, afraid to open her eyes.

Before the young woman could investigate, she was thrust back onto the ground with a great heave of ruthless wind. "Aaaah" She screamed, attempting to fight back, but felt her arms were thrust backward and pinned to the ground. Instead of fighting, Rinoa yelled, "Aaah, get off me!" And when she finally opened her eyes to see her attacker, she saw a shadowy spirit glaring at her with milky eyes of gloom, and it had bright fangs that could rip through the toughest of skins, but the most frightening thing about the creature was its lack of shape and form. Rinoa's skin grew pale and she froze all other movement in fright; it was the most _hideous_ thing she had ever seen in all her life.

The creature growled in a language unknown to anything she had ever heard before, and she forced a scream from within her cold body whilst it repeated the words that tore through her soul, **"Vividarium ET Intervigilium ET Viator!"** Suddenly, the creature was knocked from off her and she watched as it flew into the lake's waters, splashing with a revolting squeal of agony.

Rinoa, paralyzed by the attacker, stayed on the ground gasping for air as her rescuer's eyes pierced her own, gazing upon her trembling figure for seconds that felt like days. He watched her, the lake water dripping from his hair and chin as fog emerged from his mouth with every breath taken.

The brunette held out his hand, hoping to have Rinoa grab it to recover from the cold ground, but the girl had stared at him absentmindedly. Noticing she was too shaken to move on her own, he brought her body from the grayish crusts with a pull of her arm and a secure grip on her waist, lifting her enough so her feet were flat on the ground and able to support the weight of her body once again.

Upon lifting Rinoa from the ground, his chain prodded into her collarbone with a pinch and snapped her back into reality. She immediately upturned her face to his and studied his blue eyes, as he continued to look down at her with peace like a protector somehow. She then realized he was wearing a pendant around his neck, the _chain_ that prickled her chest, also the pendant Griever warned her about. The girl quickly broke away from his hold on her.

Rinoa stared; her eyes taking in the fact that he only wore a maroon battle kilt and nothing more, thinking where on earth would he get that from? Battle kilts were made back in the warring times; _now_ soldiers had better equipment. When his once serene eyes suddenly became fearsome, she swallowed her breath and looked away, still aware that he continued his silent observation of her. He traced her eyes to where she had been studying before she averted her gaze elsewhere.

Within moments, the young man reached for the silver pendant as if unsure how it had gotten around his neck, and he backed away from Rinoa while flashing her a look of insecurity. From the corner of her eye, Rinoa could see a sudden change in his approach. Seeing that the pendant was already an item of his worrying, she faced him and moved her hand to touch the silver chain, but he stepped back once more before she could make contact, quickly snarling, "What are you _staring_ at?"

Staring, yes, but Rinoa was merely lost in thought. How could Griever have _not_ known about him when the man was _trapped_ inside _his_ shell across _centuries_! Her heart yearned for understanding, something her voice lacked greatly as she posed, "…Who are you?"

He faced the lake with a sigh, purposely neglecting to answer her question.

-As his frame glistened from the sparkling of moonlight and waters combined, Rinoa studied the brunette's peach crème skin from behind: his wild, unruly, and soft russet hair, barely touched his neck and wafted freely without care. He flexed his broadened shoulders rhythmically with the mist; arms paved with muscles, forearms to wrists. But on his back trailing from his shoulders and down his spine, were fading old scars appearing to have healed over time.-

She was lost in his marks of the past, and wound up studying his scars a little longer, wondering how he might have gotten them across his back. Perhaps they were battle scars? Rinoa quickly emerged from her staring and voiced her curiousness to the stranger. "…Why were you with Griever?**_" _**Rinoa spoke, her voice as unsure as her eyes when continuing to study him.

"I have _nothing_ to say to the likes of _you_, _Sorceress_." He spat, turning away from the lake and heading back to Edea's House.

"Wait!" She yelled, holding her hand out to halt him, but when he continued to walk even _after _her pursuit, she sighed. When he finally decided to stop, he never faced her; the man only waited for her to speak. Taking his queue as an opportunity to share her mind, Rinoa swallowed her breath and muttered, "…I may _be _a sorceress…but I never chose to be. I was cursed with these powers."

"…So you renounce your fate?" He asked, still facing the opposite way.

"…Yeah. I don't want _this_ just as badly as your wanting liberation from Griever…so I would appreciate if you didn't call me 'sorceress'. …I have a name you know, and it's Rinoa… What's yours?"

Finally, with a crack of his neck from motioning his head side to side, the brunette faced her slowly and sighed, "_Rinoa, _whether you accept it or despise it, it will never change the fact that you _are_ whatyou are. Secondly, I don't have any time to waste with you because you have no information on the whereabouts of my gunblade, and lastly, I despise those who fear themselves…they're pathetic and weak, and are dead weight." He folded his arms and stared into her brown eyes that were now growing full and glistening, "…I accept my fate because _I_ chose it!" He snarled, but slowly closed the gap between them by taking a few steps forward and softening his tone, "My name…is Squall."

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_**Author's Grand Return**_

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_Yes, I'm back…and I'm happy to say that I'll be able to update and finish my other story as I write this one too. I know this one is progressing a little slowly, but I promise to bring in the storyline soon. So, please bear with me! _

_How about that description of Squall? What did you think? After all, love is like poetry, lol! _

_And now the good ol' Thank yous:_

_Yuleen75: Yeah, I'm happy to work on something fresh, just wait till everything starts, I can't! lol Thanks for the cookies, Selphie will be pleased! Selphie's Save a Chocobo Fund thanks you! lol_

_Happy Youkai: Hehe, Of course Squall's here…although, he seems a little loco, eh? lol I'm glad you enjoyed the last two chapters, and I really hope this one works for you too. If you really love Squall so much, you'll be pleased to know that the next chapter centers on him. Yay! Thanks again!_

_Lady-Rinoa: Thanks for reviewing all of the chapters thus far; it means a lot. Don't worry there will be more Griever to go around in the future, hehe. Thanks for the constant support; it really pushes me to work harder. Till then! Take care!_

_Arkv01: Thank you! Yes, I've really pushed myself to improvement, and I'm getting better each time! I'm so happy that my stories have had such an impact like you say (high quality); honestly I'm speechless! You're one of those who really inspire me to keep writing, and I thank you again! _

_Blue: lol, In the Matrix, Trinity was wounded by gunshot, not by a pole in her gut, lol. Hey relax and go easy on yourself next time. And I want to thank you for helping out again. (And I hope you enjoyed the little poetry I put in there, lol!) _

_Ittan-Momen- Are you still away on holiday? How many breaks do you get? Lol. Yeah, in a way, Squall is, but then…it's a little confusing, I'm going to explain it in the next chapter. I hope to hear from you soon, and I really hope you had fun on your trip. Thanks Ittan-Momen! Oh…and I'll email you…tell you why I'm back:( . lol Hey, don't eat Griever, No! _

_Rin Seren: Hey! How did you know I'd update today! You reviewed as soon as I was ready to update this chapter, You're psychic! O.O lol. Thank you so much. I've been through a lot recently and it's good to hear from ya, makes me feel better inside. And I'm also happy that you'll be working on your story again, that gives me something to look forward to, yay! Aww…and I'm also feeling a little corny too. That was so sweet! –eyes water- lol Alright, I'll be sure to drop you an email sometime! (You and Ittan-Momen both, lol) Thank you!_

_That's everybody right? Right! Okay. I'm working on the next chapter, so don't worry…it'll be posted eventually. If you want longer chapters please let me know and I'll add length to them, just know that there'll be a longer wait for the update. No biggie, right? Right! Lol_

_Okay people, I'm going to wrap this one up and say Thanks for reading, skimming, whatever, Thank you! haha._

_**-StardustRay-**_


	5. Preparation

_The last update: 8/25/05— It's been almost two years since I last touched this story... Need I say, but I'll always finish what I start. Thank you._

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**_Clothe your mind in armor, for a naked mind is vulnerable to anything.  
_**  
**_Preparation_**

_**5**_

"…Look at this place..." A tall, light skinned man adorned in green padded armor said as he stood in a field of lifeless wildflowers back in Dollet. He, along with a fleet of troops from Galbadia, had arrived by armor truck upon hearing about the deadly works of a new sorceress days ago via chocobo messenger. Before them was a layout unlike any they had witnessed before. Upon arriving, the officers found it strange that of all the town houses standing tall, only one lay in shambles. What was left of the grass surrounding the cabin had now withered into brown soggy lumps of clay. The iron gates enveloping the house were rusted and bent. There was not a sign of life within the proximity of the house; however, the space between this house and its neighbor remained intact and healthy. A trail across the plains left withered flowers and sour colors amuck leading up to the sight of wreckage. One glance at this site was enough to confirm it had been the workings of a sorceress.

"Sergeant Wedge, what are your orders, sir?" A younger soldier addressed him, parking beside the man and saluting him with a palm to his forehead. Being a _private_, he wore a blue uniform and helmet where a faceguard covered three-fourths of his face. This, in terms, signified his lesser rank to that of the Sergeant in green.

Wedge paced toward the debris, leaving the soldier behind to follow in his footsteps. "Sir!" The private called out to his boss, following him as best he could to warn him of what rested therein the rubble. "Th-there was a body found here, sir." He informed, "According to the locals, the _body _was identified as the father of the sorceress, sir!"

"…Is _that_ so?" The Sergeant said, kneeling down and grabbing up a piece of woodchip from the brown grass in what would have most likely been the front yard of the cabin. "…Have you ever seen anything more bizarre?" He had questioned aloud, yet mostly to himself. The private took a deep breath and swallowed hard, but remained silent while his superior continued to investigate the scene. "…Get a description of her and dispatch some of the troops to the locals around this area."

"Yes, sir, but I must tell you." The private stammered, moving around to meet the eyes of the Sergeant. "…They say that _it _was here too."

"It…?" Wedge asked, standing to his feet and dropping the woodchip to the ground.

"…The lion." The private answered, balling his hands into fists at his sides.

"_That _monster…?"

"Yes, sir… If you'll excuse me, sir, I need to gather more information." The young soldier saluted again as he readied to turn away.

"Wait!" Wedge called to his soldier, "…Contact Galbadia. Get Colonel Biggs informed on this, and tell him this is the real deal. We'll need all the help we can get."

"Yes, sir!" The private answered, saluting with confidence. He was glad the Sergeant understood the danger of this new threat, and glad that their fleet was finally going official. The hunt for the new sorceress would soon begin.

-- - - - - - -

"My name…is Squall."

The cold air passed between them, swaying across Rinoa's bare feet. The atmosphere around appeared as that of her dream one night before in which she recalled the ominous skies and sandy crusts upon the ground tumbling amidst icy winds. It was a scenario that became a normality of her seemingly bizarre new world.

Once Squall had revealed his name to her, she forced her gaze away from his and wondered why it seemed as though she had heard of that name before. Of course she had had a vision of him before, yet never actually meeting him had puzzled her. Still, Rinoa could not gather what to say to him as he continued to stand there, staring down into her eyes expressionlessly. He towered her, demanding superiority over her. "…Squall." She whispered shakily, shrinking in his curious appeal. The moment felt like an eternity. Would he ever tire of standing in her presence; after all, he appeared to not delight in her company. Briefly, Rinoa was ready to accept his pursuit and part ways with him; however, the forces of destiny held in mind a new meaning for their meeting one another.

There in the dusty plains, a waft of wind carried a mystifying voice of an older woman directly into the girl's heart, a voice that was somewhat familiar to Rinoa. She inwardly heard, -_Go into the house Rinoa, and there you'll find what is truly yours… Learn to succumb to the power within and part from those who offer help. Although you're the purest one of us, remember that you are still a sorceress...-_A tinge of fright suddenly jolted down the young woman's spine whilst the words passed through her, causing her to fall forward into Squall's outstretched arms.

"…What is it?" He asked, questioning her sudden outburst while placing both of his hands on her shoulders.

Rinoa, still frightened, could only sigh for the lack of words to explain. She broke free from his hands abruptly and faced Edea's house, which stood a ways away from where they were. "…There is something inside that house." She murmured softly, pointing in the direction of the old house. She paused momentarily before taking a single step forward. "…Squall, will you come with me?" She asked as she faced him slowly, her eyes notably piercing through his pride.

Squall hadn't given an answer; in fact, he felt compelled _not _to. Instead he did as she asked of him, which gravely surprised her. Rinoa assumed he would walk away from her at the next moment of opportune, standing firm to his observation that she would most likely benefit him nothing and become dead weight. After a brief moment of silent gratitude, the young woman smiled and continued toward the house, avoiding clumps of dirt and rocks that would be harmful to her feet along the way.

Upon reaching Edea's home, Rinoa climbed the steps and pushed the front door open. She gave a greater boost to the base of the door until there was a slight creaking coming from its hinge, and the sound reverberated throughout the small dwelling. The cautious young woman walked the floors with her eyes first. She believed in observing the area before placing herself or her new companion into danger. Near the windows, the long curtain drapes that were once nestled upon the floor had suddenly began to ruffle against an unseen breeze that lingered momentarily.

Suddenly, soft footsteps sounded, flapping against the boards of the floor, very faintly. She gasped aloud, holding her hand to her bosom. No one was there.

Tapping feet made contact with the floor again.

"!!? Did you hear that?!" Rinoa yelled, backing out of the door seal and out of harm's way. "…I can't do this…" Only seconds later, a hand pressed against her back and guided her safely inside. Squall had taken the initiative to enter when he sensed they weren't the only occupants of the house. Because Rinoa was too frightened to continue, he decided to go in ahead of her.

Rinoa silently thanked Squall for his bravery, knowing full well that he would push her gratitude aside with a cold hand; however, the moment of gratitude was short lived when the footsteps began to sound again, this time with a little more weight to them. She had suddenly stopped him from taking another step further into the house with a soft touch on his arm, and pointed toward the direction of the swaying curtain drapes, insisting he witness the works of the specter himself.

"Be careful…" She whispered, but her voice fell upon deaf ears. Squall shook off her warnings and strode boldly through the room, leaving Rinoa to tag along by clamping her fist around his bulky forearm.

Frightful to witness any more workings of the unseen force, she closed her eyes, and yet as she closed them, she sensed the whole presence of the being that walked the floors. Although unable to see this figure clearly, Rinoa felt as though it had been another woman there—walking directly before her and Squall, deliberately leading them through the house. The woman wore a long dark gown with skirts that swept the floors much like the drapes from the curtains. Her hair was long and rested at the mid of her back, and her frame was young and slender. The woman, gliding gracefully through the dwelling, stopped almost suddenly in the middle of the room, only to turn and face Rinoa to reveal her faceless face. Rinoa's hand clutched Squall's arm to keep from screaming aloud. _Fear not, my child. I am your friend…_ But the girl hadn't trusted in the voice, and she dug her fingers deep into his arm attempting to stop him from going any further. "Edea?!" Rinoa instinctively called out.

Finally, he had had enough, "Open your eyes! There's _no one_ here." He said irritably as he came to a complete stop, looking down at the foolish sorceress as she cowered in the home of her predecessor.

"But…I can see her." She whispered, pointing toward the door of Edea's bedroom.

He groaned, "You only _think_ you see her. Edea's already gone." At this, Rinoa opened her eyes.

"Already gone?" The girl questioned, looking away from Squall's eyes and into the room again. "…No. That's impossible…Edea never really left." Rinoa released her grip on his arm and stood upright in the middle of the room where Edea had been standing. "…Close your eyes and listen, Squall. …Can't you feel her?"

"Sorry, I can't." He folded his arms and averted his gaze to the window on his right.

"She was standing right here…I _know_ it's her. This house belonged to her, didn't it? It's only natural that she would dwell here now," Rinoa said, and then repeated her own words to herself. She found it strange that the voice was completely new to her, yet all familiar at once. It was almost identical to the voice of the whisper back in the plains near Obel Lake; however, now even _that_ voice became questionable to her. Could it have been created from her own imagination? Was it Edea's or was it the work of some impish creature much like the dark spirit that had attacked her at the edge of the lake?

Neither the voice nor the specter she sensed was a hallucination seeing as though it led her right into Edea's bedroom, the room in which she had been held captive before by the yellow-eyed man. _The yellow-eyed man…?_

"Wait, why can't you sense her?" Rinoa questioned him, standing firm to her own sanity.

"I'm not a sorceress."

Rinoa rested the bottom of her palm against her forehead and turned away from him, "I can't believe you can joke at a time like this."

"I wasn't." He muttered, pushing himself forward and pacing toward the next room, "I told you before, I have nothing to say or explain to you." And he walked passed her, disregarding her loud sigh into the air. "Let's just get this over with." He said, standing in the doorway of Edea's bedroom; surprisingly, he had waited for her. Rinoa bit her lower lip and followed him inside.

In the bedroom, there was a cherry-wooden wardrobe that stood adjacent to the king-sized bed. Once Rinoa entered the room behind Squall, the doors of the wardrobe immediately flung open, revealing two outfits collected on iron clothes hangers. The clothes emanated a strange aura. Rinoa, amazed with the brilliant light around the room, had realized at the moment of its pale glare, Edea's presence had lifted from around her.

Although Rinoa could no longer sense Edea, she continued to feel that the words the woman had left behind for her only moments ago, was now scorching her heart. She felt it only right to recite them aloud, "…There you'll find what is truly yours…"

Flabbergasted, Squall joined her at the door of the closet, "…A message?" He asked, tilting his head to the side while placing a hand on his hip.

Rinoa purposely avoided reciting the rest of the message knowing that he would not take it so lightly. "Yeah, but I have _no idea_ who would relay it to me..." She muttered, walking toward the clothes that radiated in a pale light around them. The light was dying slowly, returning the dimness to its former gloom, and at the light's end, Rinoa saw a supple-blue cape attached to a cushiony padded sky-blue blouse and a pair of long, black tights. She also took note of the clothes hanging on the other iron contraption that were obviously crafted to a male's liking, with its heavy black leather coat, matching black pants, and a simple white shirt that was tucked underneath the coat. "…These clothes, were they meant for us…?" She asked aloud, hoping to gain an answer from someone, namely _him_.

Squall remained silent, taking a step to the closet's front. He placed his hand onto the white shirt and black pants, rubbing his fingers against the folded creases with grace. "…This is so familiar…" He said as his voice carried off into the unknown, and Rinoa watched him with great intrigue. "…They almost resemble his… Not quite, but close."

_Those clothes resemble somebody else's…I wonder who that could be?_ Until he had said anything about the familiarity of his chosen attire, she hadn't even given thought as to who he might have been before coming to live within Griever. Realizing she could in no way answer these questions on her own, Rinoa voiced her thoughts aloud, "What did you say about those clothes resembling someone's…? "

There was a brief silence between them, and during that time, Rinoa saw how his face had sulked into a frown."…What does it matter?" He whispered, grabbing hold to the edge of the hanger, and as he pulled the clothes from the closet, Rinoa noticed a pair of red wings at the back of his leather jacket. She wanted to ask about the design, but Squall left no chance for inquiries, "All I want is to get my gunblade back, and if these were sent here by Edea to guide me, then I'll gladly accept them. You should hurry and change into yours too, so we can leave this forsaken place at once."

"…Are you saying that there's a _way_ out of this? Are you really gonna help me find that way?" She asked, abandoning her clothes at the closet just to get a glimpse of his face because seeing his face would ensure that he was speaking truth. She had hoped he would forget his earlier decision and consider accompanying her, or if she was to accompany him: Either way was satisfying to the eager young woman.

"…Do _not _misunderstand. I only want the Lion Heart, nothing more. If whatever it is you seek comes along the way, then I'll aid you, but once I find my gunblade, you're on your own." He stated acutely, placing a hand on his hip.

Rinoa, considering the odds, shrugged her shoulders with a sigh, "…I guess I wouldn't have it any other way." She would have to accept his offer for now; hopefully her prize would come sooner than what they both thought.

Satisfied that she accepted his pledge, Squall turned away from her instantly. He had carried off the clothes under his arm while tugging at the bottom of Griever's getup with the other hand: the maroon battle kilt that the beast was undoubtedly crafted to wear was now an annoyance to him because like Griever, he too was forced to wear it. "It's been _too_ long," he sighed.

Rinoa watched him leaving the room with a smile tugging at her lips. She wondered if he was mad, angry with her or simply _mad_. Who would give up his life in exchange for an eternity of power supplied by a lofty beast? And if so, then what reason could drive one to possibly do so? She then shrugged off her questionings and faced the closet once more. Rinoa took a moment to focus on the blue and black garments that were wrapped securely around the clothes hanger inside the closet. "…It almost looks like a dress," she commented just before removing the clothes.

As soon as she placed her hand onto the clothing, a brilliant light emitted from its back. From this new light, a pair of white angel wings painted themselves onto the back of her blouse, but at the same time, Rinoa felt as if her heart had been gutted through with a knife. She moved a fidgeting hand over her pounding chest and sighed in relief when realizing the feeling was only momentary. However, from some unexplainable source Rinoa knew that this doing had signified the purity within her soul.

_Purity…?_ She doubted herself greatly; could the clothes actually belong to her? Rinoa could never think of herself higher than anyone else, no less pure. And if her wings were in fact white, then what of the red wings at Squall's back?

_I don't like this. There's_ s_o much I don't understand…_

Reaching down for the clothes again, she took them apart and nervously prepared to put them on one piece at a time.

Rinoa grabbed and held the black tights cautiously as if they could animate and self-destruct in her hold. With one hand she pulled down her fluffy pajamas and stepped out of them, and then placed her foot into the right leg of her new tights. Surprisingly enough, she felt as if she had suddenly been wrapped inside a cocoon of safety. That same feeling came after stepping into the other pants leg; she had felt less vulnerable than before. Sliding them up her calves, there was a sense of calmness emitting over her soul, a calmness that made her feel as though she would never be alone. In some way, she would always be connected to the sorceresses before her, but she would never share their pride as sorceresses.

With the tights securing her legs finally, Rinoa felt an overwhelming weight fall upon her shoulders. All the fear and anxiety of her sister sorceresses suddenly crashed through the depths of the young woman's heart. She took a moment to close her eyes, ensuring she could prepare herself mentally for what was happening to her physically and emotionally. However, as she closed them, the faces of the others flashed across the screen of her mind. She was too immature, too much of a novice to understand why she could see these images, yet they were there, nonetheless, appearing before her eyes with _unsmiling_ faces. "How sad…" The girl grimaced to their sadness, trying to clear them from her mind.

Unable to bear their sadness any longer, Rinoa unbolted her eyes, and looked about the bed for the next piece of garment she was to wear. Lying before her was the padded blue blouse that would follow her tights. The young woman removed the top to her pajama set, but decided to keep the black undershirt she had worn underneath the buttoned pajama top. When grabbing up the blouse, she immediately sensed more energy from the garments that surged into her body. She almost winced when bringing the blouse over her head. Pulling it down, she felt the energy in her body increasing, almost as though her endurance for the journey ahead had risen: igniting the will to finish what was already started.

Before the blouse was completely down over her torso, Squall walked into the room through the door which was left wide open from his last exit. "Why are you taking so long? Hurry up!"His voice resounded into the hollow room.

Rinoa, embarrassed by his intrusion, turned around immediately with the blouse half over her face and yelled, "Do you _mind_?! I'm not done _changing!_"

He snapped, "What are you _talking_ about? You looked dressed to _me_!"

She ran to the door and shut it in his face, "Don't you have any _manners _at all?!"

"Manners don't mean a thing when you're _wasting_ time!" He had yelled through the door.

"I'm not _wasting_ time! You're just being plain rude!" She yelled through the door, tugging at the bottom of her blouse so it unrolled down into a flowing cape over her tightly webbed thighs.

"…Whatever," he muttered behind the closed door. His presence had then vanished with the sound of heavy boots hitting the floor consecutively, and away from the door.

With the last article of clothing in her possession, Rinoa immediately sensed power that escaped from every single thread of linen crafted together to weave the cape and blouse into one. When Rinoa finally looked down at her attire, she smiled in delight. The long undershirt fell from her sleeveless blouse and rested over the very tops of her thighs like a tight mini-skirt. It was a very comfortable fit, indeed. Suddenly, all the embarrassment from Squall seeing her half-dressed had melted away. The only thing she was dissatisfied with was not being able to bathe due to lack of running water in Edea's home. Even bringing this concern up with Squall would be a waste of time, considering he seemed to not care about her much anyway.

With a confident smile, she gave the outfit one last set of touch-ups before walking to the door and opening it to get out of the bedroom. As she exited, she saw that Squall was standing at the side window with his right hand on his hip again, staring out at the same grimly view of Obel Lake that had kept her company for most of her gloomy stay. He looked peaceful standing there, maybe even handsome if it weren't for his gruff attitude getting the worst of him at times.

She began to make notice of his attire, marveled that it suited his shadowy persona perfectly. The leather coat worn over the white shirt had stopped just above his waist and complemented the black pants that were tightly fitted at the ankles of his midnight boots. Silver buckles on both of the outer rims of the boots were strapped tightly at the height of his arches. _Wait a minute…boots? Where did he…?_ "…Squall…" She began her inquiry, trying to become familiar with calling his name aloud. She pointed at the black steel-toe boots on his feet, recalling that he, along with her, was barefoot before. "…Where did you…?"

Without turning his gaze away from the window, Squall answered her tonelessly, "…The boots were underneath the table in front of the couch. Yours are there too."

"…I don't get it." Rinoa said, sidetracking her eyes for a moment between words, "…Why and how is this happening?" She sighed, "…All of these things, these clothes and shoes, they weren't here before."

"Why don't you grab the boots so we can get out of here and find out?" He suggested as he finally faced her; his face apparently everything but friendly. Rinoa immediately curled hers in annoyance, placing her hands on her hips. "You don't have to order me around, you know. I was getting to that!" She groaned angrily.

In an attempt to avoid his honest eyes, she noticed the silver pendant resting on his chest and was briefly reminded of Griever's words. The Guardian's warning suggested that she remove Squall's pendant before he could endanger both she and Griever. It was possible that if leaving Squall in possession of that pendant, she could suffer Squall's wrath and perhaps even the world. The girl wondered for a moment if having Squall run freely would be such a dangerous thing. Even _she_ had to admit that his mannerism was a bit questionable, but then he hadn't marched out of the house and left her yet, had he? And he hadn't argued or complained when she had asked for his hand earlier either. _What am I thinking about? Griever says he's dangerous, so I have to stay sharp._

However, all hope melted upon hearing Squall tapping his foot impatiently. She heaved a heavy sigh and forced her body to claim the pair of boots before he _would_ harm her.

Underneath the coffee table, she found boots that were short and feminine, seeming to match both her size and taste in shoes. She would have commented on both their boots, but knowing the company in her keep would not be as receptive to her ramblings, she kept the comments silently to herself. With a sigh, the young woman put on the pair of black cloth socks that were tucked inside each of the boots, and slid them over an up each of her feet, legs, and shins until they reached the bottom of her calves. She then prepared to slide the black boots onto her feet; unknowing they would shield and carry her anywhere she would need to go in the near future.

Once she was done, Squall took a moment to look her over with his eyes. Seeing this, Rinoa prepared herself for a compliment or complaint, but was disappointed when he, saying nothing in return had faced the front door of the old house instead. "Let's go." He said, and headed out of the Edea's house at last.

"…Yes, sir." Rinoa mouthed in disgust with a roll of her eyes.

Pushing aside his assertiveness, Rinoa attempted to focus her mind on more important things; such as, wondering just _who_ deserved the thanks for supplying the clothes they were now wearing. It was frighteningly admirable when realizing how each piece of her attire had fit her figure so perfectly, ruling out the possibility of the clothes ever belonging to someone else, namely Edea, _right?_ But even if the apparition and voice resembled Edea, there was still a possibility that it hadn't been Edea at all. Rinoa had just saved time by hypothesizing what she saw and heard thus far.

_I mean, who else would go through all the trouble to give us these things? And more importantly, will things get worse than what happened to me and dad in Dollet?_

When making their way outside, Rinoa made a feeble glance into the sky and realized she had lost count of the days since Dollet. It had now become nothing more than a place of her past where a loved one had indeed lost his life. With Squall, she could finally find the strength to accept that her father had departed from the world. He was gone, but now living on inside of her. She brought her eyes upward this time with a strong glare into the heavens. Morning would soon come and gradually ease its dear sunlight across the dark sky, and so would Rinoa prevail against the horrors of her heart. In that moment, she made a promise to herself…a promise to survive for her father.

"We'll head for Timber," His voice knifed through her thoughts. "...I can't guarantee your safety, but if you're coming with me, you _need_ to be prepared."

She instinctively shuddered at the thought of going out into the wide world to acquire something that wasn't even visible to the naked eye: hope. Rinoa's nervousness flooded her pores, and her eyes lost their strong wills. She felt as though she had been placed on the spot without the answers, without preparation. _I guess that confirms it…there really will be worse things than in Dollet. More people will be harmed… But I wonder what's in Timber for him… I've never been there before. I've never been anywhere except the places surrounding Dollet. _

The young woman released a shaky sigh that caught Squall's attention, and he turned to her while placing his left hand on his hip. "If you're scared, don't be," he said softly, the rising sun reflecting in his pupils. Rinoa raised her eyes to meet his and listened intently as he continued. "…You're a sorceress, almost everything fears you."

"…That's what I'm afraid of," she muttered as her eyes fell downward to the sands across the ground. Her rickety hands caught themselves, and rested together with entwined fingers against her stomach. "…I don't want people to fear me. Like what happened before with Griever. The people in Dollet, they were terrified by what I had become, and they tried to kill me, but I…I was saved by Griever, and he brought me here. …I've been confused about everything ever since… I just want answers. …That's all."

"…You'll find them." He whispered inaudibly, facing the lake as the sun finally pierced through the clouds of fog for the first time since Rinoa had been there. And she raised her eyes from the ground and stared into the peach sky, allowing the sunlight to warm the cold, early morning dew from her skin.

Rinoa smiled; glad to be treated like a normal person for once, especially by him. _Thank you._

"So…" She began, clearing her throat, "…we're going to Timber?"

"…We're at Obel Lake right now which means that Timber is nearby."

"…Timber?" Rinoa asked, folding her arms against the wind gusts near the lake's edge. "Isn't it a forest…?"

"Maybe so, but that's where we're headed."

She had heard the stories from her father, the stories about Timber as a remote village up until some years back when a mysterious force banished the people away from their homes and turned the place into a deadly forest in which nothing enters nor exits: The Great forest of Timber, a mere death trap to intruders.

--------------------------------------------------

Time elapsed like a second in the night. Already two days had passed since their journey on foot to Timber began. Squall seemed to have relied on the instincts of some source he had yet to disclose to Rinoa, to guide them to Timber. Rinoa was forced to follow behind him clueless about his motives. She was terrified, yet Squall pressed on as if he could take on the entire world blindfolded and all the while, never break a sweat.

Her eyes were downcast into the depths of the ground, watching as it transformed from pasty rocks into soft grass, and then into foul brown locks of withering tall grass, and finally into a thick bush that seemed to have scattered in patches across the plains. Her stomach was ready to growl in hunger again when Squall looked ahead and pointed at a thick jade line dividing the gray sky from the brown grass. "There it is…" He said, lowering his hand to his side.

"Finally…" She sighed, although feeling her spirits lifting again. All the walking and resting had downplayed itself for the thousandth time. She wanted to throw in the towel and forget about the whole ordeal, but there was no way she could walk away from Squall so soon. He was probably the only person who would never cower in fear at her presence. The girl wouldn't admit it now, but she _needed_ to be there with him. "Squall, when are you going to tell me why we're here?"

"…To tell you the truth, I can't answer that question because I don't know for sure myself. All I know is that I was led here by something, and the only way I can answer your question is by finding out who or what it was that called me here…"

"But don't you know about Timber? …This is a terrible place! People have _died_ here!" She yelled, walking around to meet his face as he continued to stare in the face of their coming obstacle. She placed her hands on his chest and pushed against him, repelling him from Timber. "This forest is cursed! If we go inside, we may never come out alive!"

Squall stared into her eyes and said nothing. Rinoa watched as a faint grin spread across his lips. "…All the more intriguing." He said, grabbing her hands from his chest and making his way toward the forest that would soon tower them.

Rinoa bit down into her bottom lip, admitting to being taken for a _fool_, and frowned while murmuring to herself, "…What have I gotten myself _into_?"

* * *

_**Authoress' Leisure Time**_

* * *

_I don't know what this story will bring, but I'm going to dedicate it to those who would like something different. That's all I have to say about that._

_Thanks to those who have reviewed, who've most likely forgotten they've reviewed, but if you do then God bless you for remembering, hehehe, I'm so sorry I couldn't continue with it promptly. _

_If you will, let me know what you thought about this chapter, if I've slacked off or improved, or just tell me you're reading. Thanks for everything guys, and I really appreciate your time and your patience. Please note that I will be using the instant reply to your reviews this time around –mumbles about giving in to system- I guess it's about time I obeyed their demands, right? Wouldn't want to be kicked off…lol. So again, thanks for reading, skimming, whatever, thank you._

_**StardustRay**_


	6. Desperation

"… This is a terrible place! People have _died_ here!" She yelled, walking around to meet his face. She placed her hands on his chest and pushed against him, repelling him from Timber. "This forest is cursed! If we go inside we may never come out alive!"

Squall stared into her eyes and said nothing. Rinoa watched as a faint grin spread across his lips. "…All the more _intriguing_." He said, grabbing her hands from his chest and making his way toward the towering forest. Rinoa bit down into her bottom lip, admitting to being taken for a _fool_, and frowned as she murmured to herself, "…What have I gotten myself into?"

_**

* * *

**_

_**Life is as fragile as the morning dew, every day it disintegrates and every day it is made anew.**_

_**Desperation **_

_The Journey Begins: Engaging the Forest of Timber_

_**6**_

From the moment Rinoa stepped inside of the forest, she knew it would be many a day before they would ever see the light from the sun or breathe in fresh air from the morning breeze again. When staring up into the eyes of the dark forest that towered them, she had taken a deep breath for herself and for Squall, since he hadn't appeared phased at all. Had he ever shown fear? She had wondered occasionally when walking silently behind him, allowing him to lead the way through the death path.

The forest felt closed, as if there was limited air within, hardly any breeze at all. Not only had it lacked air flow, but the black dirt on the ground was soggy and was sticking to the soles of her boots. Rinoa had pressured her weight into her boots to avoid sliding down the higher grounds when walking between the russet trees. She had to duck underneath a few lowly hanging tree branches that scuffed the crusts with dying leaves. Gray moss sagged from most of these branches like the thin white hair of an elder woman falling from her shoulders and down to her back.

Although the forest was silent, Rinoa had an unnerving feeling that something was fast approaching them. And then, like a bite to the skin from a microscopic insect, a set of words came to her mind just like once before: a warning…

_Dark cloak of trees,_

_Ruby-red barks and emerald leaves; _

_Only the purest of hearts may exit my forest's ever-changing face, _

_But a fool becomes lost and forever lurks in this place. _

Squall stopped in his tracks instantly and looked around himself. He dug into his left pocket and removed the dagger that he had been holding on to since earlier. He peered through the brown locks of his hair resting at the sides of his face. The brunet remained quiet, observing the area around them as if he too had traced the new message. Rinoa's heart had been pounding since she received the message; however, just as quickly as it came to her so had it left, for when Rinoa looked ahead, all the sorcery in her hold would not prepare her for what she saw approaching dead ahead of them now.

A hideously loud shriek erupted from within the darkness immediately.

With a burst from the trees, two olive tentacles stretched and wrapped themselves around tall opposing oak trees. The thorns at each of the tentacle ends clipped to the bark of the tree and pulled forth a grotesque monster with a round body and thick plantlike roots for legs. As soon as the beast revealed itself, Squall, with _Rinoa's_ fear coursing through his veins, reached his left hand behind him and placed it onto her left side. He had guided her safely behind himself for her own protection. Rinoa, abiding in his silent command, allowed her feet to take place behind his and planted her face between his shoulder blades.

Squall recognized this beast as that of an Ochu breed, a plant monster that proved to be weakest against fire magic. The only other monster with a mouth as hideous as this one would have to have been the Malboro: a foe as truly revolting as its _Bad Breath_ attack.

The Ochu danced furiously before them, sending the pink flower skirt enfolding its waist quivering against the vines of its tentacles. The monster released a loud, repugnant shriek through the forest, where its mighty wind slithered through the leaves. Its mouth had opened wider than that of the _largest _Malboro Squall had ever seen.

The plant beast spat a foul gas toward them, forcing Squall to turn to Rinoa and grab her shoulders. He had dived to the side and pushed her with all of his might so she could land as far away from the monster's poison as possible. The girl rolled across the dampened ground until bumping sides with a large tree, putting an end to her daring escape. Squall had fallen onto his knees and quickly recovered from the ground as yet another rush of gas was sent exploding his way.

With only a dagger in his hold, he was forced to call upon _her_ for help; however, he failed to realize that Rinoa was still a beginner in her sorcery. He had never witnessed her power for himself, only its side effects. Sure he sensed a great deal of power from her shell, but how she had tapped into that power which triggered his conscience from within Griever's hold bemused even _his_ _greatest_ intrigue. When the monster closed the gap between them, he realized now was not the time to think about her lack of skills as a sorceress. He needed to end the Ochu's life so he could find what had lured them into the forest since the beginning.

"Rinoa!" He yelled to her knowing she had still been hiding away behind the trees somewhere obeying his command. "Rinoa!" He called out to her again, certain she would hear his voice, "If you can, I want you to cast a spell on it!"

"A _spell?!"_ She inquired with a yell of surprise, her voice squealing from behind mountains of trees. "I don't know any spells!"

"Of course you do, it's in your _memory_!" He shouted as he dodged the spiky tentacle of the Ochu, now bringing both tentacles from the ground that had begun to fall from the treetops to crush Squall's flesh, but the brunet jumped out of the way and chose to lead the Ochu in the opposite direction of Rinoa.

_What can I do? I want to help, but I don't know how to help you Squall!_

"_Come_ on!" He answered, as if hearing her thoughts, "— Use an attack spell, a sleep spell! _Something!_" He continued, crawling under a few low branches to escape the wrath of the large Ochu, which had been swinging its tentacles in every direction, crushing smaller trees in its sight. One attack, barely missing the top of Squall's head, had caused him to fall on his back. He flipped over quickly to his hands and looked over his shoulder, watching as the Ochu approached him slowly again.

When peaking around the wide Timberian Oak tree, Rinoa realized Squall had fallen into danger with the large plant. "_Sleep…_?" She asked inwardly as she slowly emerged from her hideaway between the trees. The young woman took a deep breath and held her right hand to the necklace, "Sleep!" She yelled, extending her left hand to release an invisible wave of energy which fell before her and surged to the Ochu as it was just about to smite down against Squall's body. The Ochu's movements fell into a drunken state, and its tentacles fell slowly to the earth simultaneously. Its screech was heard no more.

Squall rose from the ground, dusting the loose dirt crusts from the front and back of his pants as he groaned softly.

"What did I just do?" Rinoa asked, looking upon the motionless monster with pity. He snapped his head toward her almost instantly, flashing her one serious 'do you even need to ask' look. Rinoa frowned as she saw the undeniable anger written all over his face. "…I only did what _you said_ to do." She defended.

"Not _quite_!" He snapped, "I _said_ an attack spell!" The brunet immediately turned his back to her, placing a hand on his hip whilst upturning his face to the heavens and he released a loud sigh. "…Sorry," he muttered, the strands of his hair lowering as he looked at the ground again. "…Rinoa," He began softly. "…I know you're new to all of this, but you really have to learn how to defend yourself. If you don't get rid of your enemy first, then that enemy will be sure to get rid of _you_."

"I…" She whispered, trying to find some explanation to defend herself once more, but there was none. Instead, Rinoa took his criticism inside where it would serve as a base of her motivation, or rather a flame to feed the fire of her defense. "I'll try harder." The young woman sighed, her eyes piercing his back, watching as he faced her once more.

This time Squall gave her an approving nod.

The two were sure to leave the resting Ochu behind. Waking it would probably be worst than ever having put it to sleep in the first place, because Squall knew that an Ochu was always deadlier when engaging its second wind.

Squall cursed himself for not having a gunblade: one quick slice across its flesh and that monster would have instantly met its demise. Having the gunblade would also serve for cutting through stubborn branches that were beginning to block their pathway increasingly with every step deeper into the forest. He reminded himself of the small dagger that was now resting in his pocket, even though he knew it would never be strong enough to break through the forest's mystical barriers.

"Who could possibly call you to a place like _this_?" Rinoa questioned him as if sensing what had been going on inside his mind. She was following behind him and ducking beneath dark branches hanging from above. She took notice that the tree roots stuck up from the surface of the ground like the fingers of rotting corpses digging their way back into the land of the living.

"…Just keep walking." He told her, bending back the thick branches of shorter trees to progress onward and hopefully bring them closer to the source behind their quest. To his understanding, something or someone had called him there, but that source even for him had remained a mystery.

Rinoa sighed softly and continued to follow his lead, admiring the chattering of the crickets prattling nearby. Suddenly there was a shutter of trembling leaves rolling against an alarming wind.

"Huh?" He gasped aloud, stopping suddenly. His halt caused Rinoa to bump into him from behind; she had been paying more attention to the ground rather than to where he was walking.

"Ouch!" She yelped, rubbing her forehead with a sturdy hand, "What is it? Why'd you stop?"

He looked around himself again as if searching for a hidden enigma, much like he had done earlier in the waning seconds before the Ochu approached. Rinoa prepared herself for the oncoming threat, but realized Squall hadn't moved his body into his stance of defense. Instead, he placed his hand atop his hip and focused his sights at the ground again. "Did you hear something?" He asked quietly, hoping that she would have noticed a foreign sound within the forest.

"Other than the crickets, no…" Rinoa answered, causing him to sigh into his right hand slowly, and she continued, "Why, is something wrong?"

"…" He opted to answer her, but closed his mouth and continued forward. Petty conversation would not ease the fact that he had heard something far off. It had greatly disturbed him.

The forest grew darker and murkier. The deeper they walked inside, the quieter it became. There was even a point in the midst of the forest where Rinoa had to strain just to hear the whistling songs of the crickets. Suddenly, Squall softened his steps and pushed aside the gray moss hanging from a dark wooded tree bark. Rinoa had followed his footing and studied the scene before them as Squall came to a complete stop again.

"…Listen." He whispered, stepping aside and allowing her to observe the mysterious thumping from deep within the forest. Rinoa closed her eyes and focused her ears to the sound; instead, she felt the ground pounding repeatedly beneath her feet.

She opened her eyes widely and faced Squall with a snap. "What do you think it could be? Another one of those things…?" She asked, bringing her hands to her necklace in fear as her mind cruelly replayed the Ochu emerging from the darkness once again.

"Maybe…" He had whispered with a shrug his shoulders and brought his eyes to the trees ahead of them. "…It's either that or whatever it was that forced those people out of this forest a long time ago."

"Hey, that's not _funny_!" Rinoa snarled, her eyes growing with anger.

"Am I laughing?" He asked, looking back to her slowly, "I'm only assuming what you said before about—"

"I don't care," She chopped through his words. "Yeah, it's possible that there are plenty more monsters lurking around in here, but some of those people that I mentioned weren't _fortunate _enough to have the advantage that _we_ have. They _died_!"

"_What_ advantage?" He retorted, "I'm weaponless and you can't even manage your own magic. I think we make _quite_ the team!" He said, sighing heavily afterward, and then started down the dangerous path ahead of them. Rinoa shook her head and followed him reluctantly. Although having a travelling companion was to her advantage, the statements this so called _companion_ made had caused her to think otherwise. On the other hand, she could not picture herself journeying the world in search of answers alone, but what was she to do on her own if something were to happen to him? Rinoa didn't even want to think about it.

Meanwhile as the thumping grew louder, the sound had become heavier than ever. Rinoa kept her eyes on Squall's shadowy back this time, not wanting to run into him again if he had chosen to stop in the midst of his investigation. However, ahead of them lied an area that was pitch black

Then like the seconds of a lightning bolt, Squall was engulfed by that darkness. The tree's leaves covered his trail seemingly hiding every trace of him from Rinoa's dazed vision. "Squall?!" She panicked. She looked every which way she could to be certain her eyes weren't playing tricks on her, and ran ahead where he had walked only to find nothing. There was no trace of him anywhere…

"Squall, c'mon! _Answer_ me!" She yelled, hoping to receive an answer, but he never did. She was frightened. There she stood in the forest, looking about herself and wondering how on earth it was possible for someone to vanish without a trace before her very eyes. "Squall!" She yelled again, turning around once more to get a good look of her surroundings, but her surroundings weren't of much help seeing as the tall trees only hid the outside world from her purity, hid her further from the truth.

When a sparkling light twinkled from the treetops, she looked up immediately. Unfortunately, that same light had dissipated instantly and leaving just as soon as it came. Looking upon the heavens, she found it strange that the sky was completely hidden by a cloud of dead leaves in hues ranging from auburn to dark green.

_Dark cloak of trees…_

Rinoa gasped and held a hand over her heart, "…Who's there?" She whispered, her voice falling short to the thick air.

_Ruby-red barks and Emerald leaves…_

The voice continued. It was soft and childlike, yet it held no evidence of being a child at all. Rinoa had then wondered if it was the same sound Squall had heard before he disappeared moments ago. "Please don't…" She murmured, grabbing the ring around her neck tightly. All the space around seemed to enclose her in its darkness. "…I'm scared," Rinoa whispered into the void, not wanting to disappear as Squall had shortly before.

"_Hey_! You shouldn't be here, it's _dangerous_!" A tiny voice called out from between the trees. Rinoa had turned about to face the voice and found a petite preteen wearing a short yellow sundress. The girl had bouncy brown hair and eyes that twinkled like emeralds. Rinoa was both frightened yet calm at once. Although relieved to see another standing in the forest with her, she was curious as to why the girl had been alone, and how she came to be.

"What are you doing _here_?" Rinoa asked, but the girl smiled and turned her back to Rinoa. The young woman noticed that the girl was holding onto the paw of a green stuffed animal in her left hand as her arms remained folded behind her back. The stuffed animal had a strange ruby jewel encased in its forehead and had looked soft and gentle. Rinoa realized it might have been the girl's favorite plaything, as she may have outgrown other toys except for this particular one. "Why are you alone?" Inquired Rinoa, as she braved her fears by taking a step closer to the girl.

"But I'm—" The girl started to speak, but silenced her own words with an overpowering sigh. "…I know where the exit is." She said instead, looking back to Rinoa with a wide grin. With her right hand, she pointed to the east which was the path at Rinoa's right, a path that became as clear as day to Rinoa after the girl had pointed, but when the young woman retracted her gaze from this pathway, she realized the girl was nowhere in sight.

"Hey!" Rinoa shouted, balling her hand into a fist as she yelled aloud, "What is happening here? What's happened to them?" When answered with complete silence, Rinoa closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Squ-all!!!" She yelled from the top of her lungs.

-- -

_You've weakened significantly. …Is it wise to assume that human's form, Griever?_

_**The mortal deludes himself. **_

…_Having trouble are you? Please allow me to enlighten him. Perhaps it will drive him back to you._

_**I don't want your help.**_

_But I don't really need your permission, do I?_

_**Your stubbornness… that was your downfall….**_

_Have patience my friend, I will have your spirit returned in no time._

_---_

"_Squ-all!!!"_ He had opened his eyes immediately at the sound of Rinoa screaming for him somewhere. Oddly enough, she had sounded as if she had been yelling directly in front of him, perhaps caught in a completely different dimension. The brunet took this time to look around himself and found that he was standing in a pit of darkness. Until now, he had been completely unconscious, oblivious to the source behind his disappearance. Although alone in this gloom-ridden world, his heart roared with courage. Even in the abyss of darkness, Squall had no reason to fear. He had already spent an eternity locked away inside Griever's shell, it too having been almost identical to this setting.

There was utter darkness, and the only light came from a ruby crystal lurking ahead of him. The ruby's radiance became green and shaped into that of a green eyed girl who was walking toward him with a wide grin.

"_Time is a curious thing." _She whispered, with her coming she returned the forest to its natural state; trees with maroon trunks and barks, and leaves that ranged from lime green to dark green, not a rotting brown leaf nor a dead tree remained in sight. _"I know about your connection with him…I know what you're planning to do and when you're going to take action. But why are you being so selfish? ...You want his strength, yet you don't want anything to do with him, but you do know that without him you're nothing. And if you died, he would die also." _She spoke swiftly, never allowing Squall to get a word in. _"But if you died, would you have fulfilled your heart's desire?"_

"Who are you?" Squall asked, surprised at the feeling of his own heart pounding within his chest.

"…_You truly are weak,"_ She frowned.

"I am _not _weak!" The brunet screamed from his soul.

"_So you say, but if I showed you the truth…"_ Her voice carried off into the wind as the forest around them disappeared.Suddenly, the thin, dark air around them swirled together and formed a new reality. Sheer light shone brilliantly as a windy flower field was brought before his eyes.

Before he knew it, he was standing in that field girdled inside the warmth of the sun's orange light. The puffy clouds formed infinite shapes in the sky and the birds soared above the horizon. There was definitely something familiar about this place, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"_Squall…what happens if what you seek is already out of your reach? What would you do then?" _She asked childishly.

"…Where are we?" He asked the girl, looking around in a daze.

"_But you already know where we are."_ She answered, taking a stroll in the tall grass to give Squall a little time to answer, all the while, Squall was studying a few of the hills far away, and allowing the wind to thrust against his flesh. The soft gentle breezes, the sweet scents of flowers, white flowers to be exact; in fact, they were the same flowers from his _past_. It was at that moment that he realized the location of this mirage.

By the time the girl walked a full circle in the grass, Squall had remembered completely. _"So you recall…?" _She asked, stopping at the close of her circular pattern made in the tall grass.

"Yes…" He answered, raising his eyes from the grass and settling them onto her young body.

"_Then you understand that what your heart yearns to protect, is utterly futile because it no longer exists..." _She said softly, turning her back to him in the fields.

"…That _can't_ be…" The illusion that had appeared around him was Winhill, his hometown; however, it was displayed before him in its present form. The town of his memories had long since crumbled down and withered to dusts like the sands of an hourglass, forever lost to time. Now, there remained a broken field of flowers to grieve its caretakers, those of his heart: his ever breathing life.

"_Are you sad?" _The girl had asked, folding her hands behind her back. "_Don't be." _The emerald eyed enigma smiled, "…_Thus time goes on, and we are powerless to stop it. In such a case are we all weak, Squall…"_ She whispered. _"Time, it is such a curious thing…"_

The brunet folded his arms with a sigh, lowering his eyes to the ground where he took in the tall grass that raddled with the onslaught of blistery winds.

"_However…" _She murmured, her voice falling succumbing to the opened winds. Then there was movement from the flower field that caused him to look up from the grass.

He scanned the perimeter slowly until his eyes had fallen onto the figure of a woman running through the flower field. Her long black hair covered her face as she turned about herself, enjoying the warm sunlight. She was beautiful, this woman wearing blue, but had somehow held a frighteningly resemblance to… "…Rinoa?" He questioned aloud.

Rinoa had been running through hordes of trees trying to find the girl she had spoken to, trying to find Squall or just trying to find someone in the maze of the forest who would help her and not disappear. She was abandoned and terrified, and not only had she been scared, but monsters began appearing left and right since Squall's disappearance. She had run into yet another Ochu and it too was just as large as the first, with tentacles soaring passed the tallest treetops in the forest. She hated the way its belly jiggled like jelly each time it would jump around after her, but she hated the foul breath of its Ochu attack even more. Rinoa had managed to escape its wrath once its attention had been grabbed by a few small dragon-like types of beasts. Their short brown and blue muscular bodies were built to carry a tail that extended from its back like a blade, one that Rinoa made sure not to come into contact with.

And if those monsters weren't enough, large snake-like creatures slithered there ways beside her when she had found a place of rest after her long run away from the Grendel, the dragon beasts and the Ochu. She was ready to give up when the trees around had suddenly melted to the earth, birthing a living, breathing flower field. Unable to comprehend what was happening, the young woman simply counted her blessings and enjoyed the moment of freedom while it lasted.

The flower field before her eyes reminded her of the wild flowers back in Dollet, and she had lost herself in the scents of those flowers, mostly the white roses, all lined up in row upon row along the field. "How beautiful…" She said, reaching down to touch a white flower amidst the pedals of the mixed, colored batches.

"What are you doing?!" She was yanked back suddenly by her arm. Rinoa had instinctively fought against this strong demand. She screamed and closed her eyes, swinging her free arm against her attacker who had caught her wild arm with his free hand almost instantly.

Realizing her pursuits were meaningless, Rinoa opened her eyes and found herself face to face with none other than Squall. "Squall?" She had asked softly, unable to believe her own eyes. _He's alive!_ Her mind rejoiced.

"What are you doing _here?_!" He asked her again, his voice sounding to be anything but glad to see her.

Rinoa, sensing the bitterness of his heart, broke away from his hold in one twist. "Let go of me!" She said, staring into his bloodshot red eyes, "Take your hands off of me!"

Squall immediately released her. With her release had the forest returned, the flower field withered away and was no more.

He hadn't noticed the trance. Squall was red with fury.

"We should leave…" He muttered behind locked teeth, staring down at her angrily.

"Fine with me!" She sassed, turning from him with a jerk of her hips. It seemed that every time things were looking better for them, his attitude would ruin everything she had ever thought of him; however, this time he went beyond his usual assertiveness, he was well out of his boundary. If that moment hadn't been any worse, not hearing an apology from him had worsened all else for her.

_What is his problem?_ She wondered to herself as they walked through the forest again. Rinoa sighed, digging her fingers into her forearms. She had folded her arms shortly after brushing against _his_ momentarily. Presently, she wanted nothing to do with him.

"How do we get out of here?" He asked, stopping to look around again. "…I've had enough of this place."

Rinoa sighed heavily and pointed ahead of them, "There were two snakes that way." She thumbed the air backward, "… behind us are a couple of brown and blue dog-looking things with blades for tails, and the other way," lastly, she opened her hand and waved it around in the air, "… is our _friend_ the Ochu."

At this, Squall frowned into the palm of his hand with a deep and heavy sigh.

"What are you frowning for? At least I'm _trying_," She said, placing her hands on her hips, "…or is that not good enough for you _either_!?"

"Look, I lost it, okay?! I apologize! Maybe I _didn't _mean to grab you so hard, but _what were_ you doing there?" He snapped, dropping his hand from his face in a mad fit. "For someone who knows so little about what's going on here, you sure seem to know your way around! I don't know why the hell I bothered letting you come along with me in the first place! You had no right to be there!"

Rinoa glared into his blue eyes, taking in the fact that they were now glowering with stormy red veins. And as she stared, her heart had cried: _So I'm in the way? …If that's how you really feel about me being here, then I'm sorry I ever met you._

He flinched momentarily and then turned away from her.

Rinoa bit down into her bottom lip with a light groan. After a brief moment of silence, she sighed heavily.

"…Goodbye." The young woman muttered harshly, and took the path that the girl had pointed her down before, the path that would lead her to the outer world again: A path that would take her away from him, _far _away from him.

As Rinoa walked into the darkness of the forest, a path of light opened for her, swiftly and peacefully…

_Only the Purest of hearts may exit my forest's ever-changing face._

_But a Fool becomes lost and forever lurks in this place._

However, Squall became enshrouded by the darkness again. This time, he did nothing. He felt he had deserved to rot in the abyss…forever.

* * *

When Rinoa reached the end of the pathway, the sunlight had almost blinded her. She covered her eyes with the back of her hand and emerged from the darkness, glad to be free from the horror of the dark forest at last. She smiled and stretched her arms above her head, and had then begun to walk out. Even with no intention of a new destination, she was glad to be away from him. She had known he was bad news from the beginning, but only felt obligated to go with him because it was her starting point. But seeing as things would have never worked between them since he had had a problem with her from the beginning, she thought it would now be at best to part ways with him. 

As she came to the start of the land, she was embraced by the sweet aroma of fresh air. The grass was shorter, but greener, and seemed to be in a much healthier state than the grass of the past fields she had walked before. However, even this scenery failed in comparison to the field of flowers she had seen in the mirage back in the forest of Timber. She wondered if the girl she had spoken to had had anything to do with that scene, and also why the girl was there in the first place.

Realizing her questions would remain unanswered for now, Rinoa decided to get as far away from the forest as possible. She wanted to be alone; at least, she could finally grieve her father's death with no one around to disturb her.

She walked the plains staring down into her hands as a way of passing time. She wondered how she had managed to allow the energy that put the Ochu to sleep to escape from her. It certainly hadn't seemed to be something she could turn on and off on her own. The only way she knew she could properly defend herself was if she or someone else she knew had found danger. Her mind drifted back to Squall for a slight moment, as he had yelled out to her for help, but the young woman forcefully shook him away from her mind again. She had to get used to being responsible for her own person again. Still, the idea wasn't as bad as she thought it would be, seeing as she had lived most of her life keeping her own company. How those years had passed by….

Looking behind, she realized the forest became the thick green line she had seen before with Squall. When coming across this, Rinoa decided to take a break at the top of the next hill. She wanted to get a good view of the ocean, which had just begun to peak at the top of her view. Rinoa trudged uphill, her boots sinking deep into the earth, and managed to reach her destination alone. With a soft sigh, the woman prepared to stand at the very top and take in the pure natural view of the ocean's coastline.

Unfortunately, Rinoa was horrified to discover that her peaceful setting had been disturbed. At the very bottom of the hill she saw a line of metallic vehicles, resembling those of the army, resting at the coastline as if scouting out for something or maybe for _someone_ nearby.

"…Is that…is that the Galbadian Army?" She asked aloud, kneeling down to get a closer glimpse of the vehicles. "…But what are they doing here?"

Away from the trucks, uniformed soldiers gathered in circles as if discussing the next course of action. Rinoa wondered what was going on. If it hadn't been for her identity, she may well have gone downhill to ask for their help herself. After all, there was a madman somewhere behind in her trails in which she may need protection from in the near future.

Meanwhile at the foot of the hill, the soldiers had been chewing the fat over whose paycheck would look the best because of the long hours they had begun to accumulate recently. All of the soldiers were dressed in blue but one. He was suited in red, his front decorated in medals. "…All right, all right. That's enough! Gather 'round." The soldier in red addressed his men, motioning his hands toward him, and they had all begun to gather like flies to a dying cattle.

"…We're to stay in this post for the next few days! If we see nothing, we'll move out!" He then paused to gather his thoughts momentarily.

All the while, Rinoa found that her curiosity had gotten the better of her, and had eased her way closer to the men. The hill she had chosen to climb towered the soldiers like a levee, so she hadn't needed to get extremely close to hear the lieutenant's loud voice over the echoes of waves from the ocean's waters. She crawled to the edge of the levee, but was sure to keep herself from their sights. "They said the beast flew south from Dollet, but its current whereabouts remain unknown. That's why it's imperative that we remain _here_ at least until tomorrow's nightfall!"

The lieutenant faced the ocean and folded his arms behind his back, "…The Sorceress is said to be light skinned, with long, black hair and brown eyes! She was last seen wearing…pajamas." He had said, receiving a few chuckles from his audience. With his quick glare at the out of line soldiers behind, their laughs soon became apologies. The Lieutenant cleared his throat and continued, "…If spotted, the sorceress is to be taken into custody for the deaths of ten civilians in Dollet!" The man's eyes had grown sullen, "…However, if she acts disorderly, we have orders to exterminate her on site!"

A few of the soldiers had swallowed large lumps that had developed in each of their throats as the Lieutenant had stated Galbadia's demands. They wondered if they would be able to hold off such a threat.

Rinoa had turned pale when looking upon the men at the top of the hill. _Ex_t_erminate? But I…I've never killed anyone! I was only trying to get those monsters away from my dad!_

"If you have any questions, speak up now; otherwise, get back to your stations and keep a close look out!"

"Yes, sir!" The line of twelve men yelled in unison, and they scattered across the lands in such a fashion that became a blur to Rinoa. She had lost her focus on them when the lieutenant mentioned reasons of her termination. _Extermination…? Don't say it like I'm some kind of an insect! _"…What have I done to deserve this…?" She muttered, letting her face fall into the palms of her hands. Rinoa felt her eyes stinging with tears, but strangely none had fallen from her eyes. She had expected a flood of tears, but _nothing_ came about. She was _empty_.

"You there..!" She was _careless_, leaving herself wide open whilst the soldiers scouted the area for her trail. Rinoa, already disheartened by the accusations, looked to the soldier with full and sad eyes. "You… Are you the…?" He had stammered, but then sighed heavily when he remembered the sorceress was wearing said to be wearing _pajamas_. How could she be wearing new clothes when there wasn't a sign of civilization south of Dollet?

Instead of accusing her, the young soldier smiled, "…I'm sorry." Her sad eyes drew pity from him, "What are you doing out here? It's really dangerous."

He extended his hand out to her, opting to help her from the ground, but Rinoa stared at him first. She eventually took his hand and stood to her own feet, falling clumsily onto his chest. "Hey." He said, looking down at her, "…Are you all right?"

Rinoa felt soft tears forming at the corners of her eyes. She smiled, bringing her eyes from his chest and to the red mask over his eyes, and stared into his eyes a little longer. She was glad to finally have someone not shudder in fear because of her.

Conversely, the longer the soldier stared down into her eyes, the more _his_ body had begun to tremble with fear. He remembered her descriptions acutely: light skin, long black hair, and…_brown_ eyes. "…You're…You're the…" He stammered, backing away from her and shaking his head from left to right repeatedly. "It's the _sorceress!_" He called aloud. What a fool he had been to help her? If his superior saw him now, he would surely lose his job, and possibly his life also considering he had been within the grasp of the sorceress.

At this, Rinoa released her hands from his shoulders and fell to her knees on the ground. "This is it…" She murmured, resting her hands onto the soil and grabbing the grass at its roots. Angrily she dug her fingers deep into the earth's crusts and bit down into her bottom lip. _Griever, you were wrong…I am a monster and I'll always be a monster in their eyes. There's no way I can live on like this." _

"I'm warning you…if you make one sudden movement, I'll have to take you down by force." The soldier said, reaching for the short barrel gun on his side.

"Zone, where are you?!" The Lieutenant called, followed by six of his squadron. The men marched uphill until they came across Zone, who had remained holding a defenseless Rinoa at gunpoint upon the levee. "Zone…!" He said again, approaching the man and reaching for his own weapon.

"…So, are you _it_…?" The Lieutenant asked, approaching Rinoa slowly, stopping when the tip of his boots touched the front of her knee. He leered down at her as his mouth curled with hatred for her kind.

"I…don't understand." She responded, her voice as weak and feeble as her gaze to his face. He had looked so tall from ground level, and the sun beamed into her view making it especially difficult to get a good look at his face, even though having a clear view was meaningless considering his face was covered by the mask as well.

"You understand very well what I mean. Are you the damn sorceress or not?"

She hadn't answered.

She was a sorceress and there was no denying that fact, but she would never be the sorceress they were searching for, the one who had slaughtered those people back in Dollet. Instead of answering with mere words, a single tear slid down her face, one that had been invisible to the Lieutenant and his soldiers. Rinoa looked away from the men and rubbed her face against her shoulder, hiding away her weakness; however, with her sudden movement, she had instilled fear into the lieutenant's heart and he retaliated before even knowing what the girl had done.

With little preparation, the man brought his hand down across Rinoa's cheek, hitting her with enough brute force to land her whole body against the ground. The other soldiers flinched as she was hit and exchanged looks about their lieutenant's actions, but none had spoken out against his doing.

Rinoa pressed her hands against the earth and crawled to her knees, grabbing the grass underneath her hands again. She rested her wounded right cheek against the soft dirt and breathed shakily. "…I'm sorry," She apologized. She apologized for who she was and what she had done, but mostly she apologized for being weak and powerless to stop the woman who had given her those awful powers to begin with.

"That's not good enough!" He shouted, landing his foot to her stomach with a hard kick. The girl had screamed out and cringed into a ball on the ground, her eyes filling with tears as she began a fit of uncontrollable coughs due to the damage he had inflicted to her stomach. "I asked you a question and I want an answer _now!_" He yelled, removing the handgun from his back carrier.

"Sir!" The soldier who had discovered her spoke up finally, lowering his weapon and approaching his superior with eyes that had continued to pity her. Rinoa's coughing grew louder behind his voice. "This is entirely uncalled for! She doesn't appear to be dangerous!"

"She doesn't _have _to appeardangerous. Our orders are to destroy the sorceress upon sight."

"But you said—"The young soldier began, only to have the Lieutenant turn the gun to _his _face instead, and he gulped, taking one step back away from his leader. "…S-Sir…"

"Yes, I'm aware of the orders I gave, but it was the only way I could have the pleasure of personally putting an end to this sorceress's life. I had family in Dollet…" He said, moving the nose of the gun to Rinoa's crimson face. The lieutenant grabbed her hair by its roots and pulled her face from the ground. He took a knee and stared down at her with his grim eyes whilst a menacing grin crept upon his lips. The furious man brought the gun closer to her face. "_This_ is for my brother and his son..."

Rinoa, seeing the shiny circular eye of the gun nearing her forehead, closed her eyes slowly.

-_- -_

Squall, still trapped in the darkness, wandered the planes for an exit, but as the spell predicted, he had become lost in the forest while Rinoa had been freed because of her heart's purity. He hadn't heard the words for himself, but he knew Rinoa had received the warning. He could sense it from her spirit.

In fact, most of the time, he was able to discern what had been going through her mind just by her feelings and vibes they had unknowingly shared. It was an unseen connection, possibly because of Griever and himself that had reached farther to he and Rinoa.

As he strode through the endless plane, there was a sudden pain that knifed into his side, causing him to fall to his knees with an unexpected cry. The young man rested his palm against his side while leaning over on the other to support his weight. He knelt across the ground. At that moment, he let out a loud gasped, as if choking for air, _"…What's…what's this?"_ He asked inwardly, feeling his eyes burning with tears as his body stubbornly ceased his ability to breathe.

And there his body remained for one minute: One agonizing minute of searing heat, lack of oxygen, and a knot of pain growing in the pit of his stomach. _…It's Rinoa._ He thought instantaneously.

"…I'm sorry…."Squall muttered forcefully, "…Griever…I'm sorry."

_**Fool…**_

There in the dark abyss, a great red light emerged from Squall's body. This pale light cut through the darkness and carved a path out of the forest, and Squall arose, his stamina raised significantly. In spirit he was led out of the forest and out to the grass plains Rinoa had surely walked as well. In a matter of minutes, he had reached the end of the line where a tall levee stood at the foot of the sea. There, he saw Rinoa sitting with her arms enveloping her legs, hiding her face behind her knees, and her back against the sea. Suddenly, as if sensing his presence, she upturned her face to him and quickly wiped away the tears from her eyes.

"…Rinoa?" He asked softly, making his way uphill toward the woman sitting in the sunlight.

"Squall…" She called out to him, her voice a bit shakier than usual. She was surprised by his intrusion. How had he managed to find an escape from the forest so soon? Other than that, she never minded his presence, grateful to have a familiar face to look upon once again.

When he finally reached her, their eyes locked momentarily, and she lowered hers to the ground sadly. She had inhaled and brought her right hand over her left elbow, exhaling into the wind. "…Squall," She began, "…I know you may not care about me much, but I have one favor to ask you."

He sighed and placed his hand on his hip, "…What is it?"

Her eyes had never looked upon his face, instead they remained adrift in the plains far out from where they stood. "…Let me go with you," She said. "…I don't know what would happen if I traveled alone." He had remained quiet as she continued, "…There were soldiers here…and I was surrounded…"

She swallowed her breath hard and forced her eyes to his asking, "…What _am_ I?"

Squall was confused, what had she meant by her own questioning. How many times would he have to remind her?

As he remained quiet, Rinoa stood to her feet and looked at the ground again, feeling her stomach crawling with moths. She brought her hand over her mouth and closed her eyes, and it was then that he realized what had taken place at the scene behind her.

Taking a bold step forward, Squall found himself looking upon the remains of soldiers. A few bodies dressed in blue and one in a red uniform were scattered downhill and across the plains. Blood had seeped down into the green grass where the dirt was dug up, the remnants of some recent magic usage. He took note that only one body remained that had been fully intact. At that moment, he turned to her and placed his hands on her shoulders, facing him, and he pulled her face into his chest. Even if his heart had been hardened to her likenesses, he knew exactly when things had gone out of control, when it would too much for her chaste heart.

Squall hid her face deep in his chest and walked with her until they were no longer in the sight of the massacre.

After some time had passed, and they were farther down the shores of the ocean line, Squall had released his hold on her and placed his eyes shyly on the sands. "…I'm sorry about earlier." He muttered, clearing his throat faintly as he continued, "…I really didn't mean to be so…to be so harsh..."

"It's okay…" She answered weakly.

"Don't say 'okay' unless you really mean it." He said, facing forward. "…You need to be more honest with yourself."

"More honest…?" Rinoa had whispered. "…But I am."

He stopped walking and had faced her slowly. "…If you were honest with yourself, you would know about your past and have full control of your powers. You wouldn't need to seek out answers because you would already have them."

"Is that true?"

"How many times do I have to say it? You're—"

"No!" She covered her ears and fell forward to her knees.

"—someone who's well aware of herself…?" He guessed, holding out his hand when she uncovered her ears at his words. "Come on, get up. We're wasting time talking about it."

She was stunned to find a light smile across his lips. _…Is he really going to…Is he really trying to help me?_

"…I gave you my word, now all you have to do is trust me." He murmured into the air, shrugging his shoulders.

"…How can I trust you when you don't even trust _me_…?" Rinoa sighed. "I keep telling you, I never asked to become this…"

Squall looked away from her, letting his hand fall back to his side. After a long moment of silence, he had sighed into the wind.

"…I…" he began, but fell silent. "I'll tell you this. …It's not _you_ that I despise…it's…." He groaned aloud and returned his eyes to her, while extending his hand again. "…If you can try to trust me, then I'll try to trust you."

Rinoa's eyes had lit up immediately. She was finally glad to make some type of connection with Squall; although she found it odd that he so friendly to her suddenly. He was an enigma if there ever was one in her life, mostly because he seemed to become two separate individuals: One friendly and the other a madman. She was now curious to know more about him…curiously why he had gotten so upset when she had made her way into the flower field.

After his proposal, Rinoa found herself nodding her head a few times as she reached up and slipped her hand into his. He helped her stand to her feet and as she stood from the ground, she came face to face with him. Shyly, she moved her eyes away from his and quickly released his hand. Rinoa smiled sheepishly while looking down at her hand, and inhaled deeply to calm her fluttering nerves.

The young woman's grin widened, giggling as she said, "Okay."

* * *

_**Author's little notes:**_

* * *

_I'd like to thank everyone for reading and remembering this story, first off. Like I said, I have no idea what this story will bring. It is both exotic and interesting to me, and I'm trying something new, if you haven't noticed yet. haha._

_Thanks to Idryll,(Ittan!!!)--have you gotten a chance to read it yet? lol_

_Teresa- Yes, there's a lot of story to go around, so like I said, this one brings in everything else finally. Hmm...I'm probably going to go back to the way I usually write, if this style seems to be lacking horribly, haha. Be honest!_

_Blue- Take a break!!! You work too much, my friend! Seriously, you're doing a marvelous job helping me!_

_Ayato- As before, I admire your honesty, please continue to share what my strengths and weaknesses are, and more importantly, I hope you've enjoyed this chapter too._

_Oh...that's right...I'm not supposed to reply this way anymore, right? I'm so disrepectful...not by choice! Anyways, I know I replied to you guys before, but I've got such a big mouth that I feel the need to ramble even when nobody's there. In other news, I'll go ahead with Damaged Hearts, (somebody's heart just stopped, lol) okay, okay._

_I hope you've enjoyed your read, so please feel free to leave me a message, if it sucks, is bad, is okay, good, or excellent. I'm here! _

_Adieu, _

_StardustRay_


	7. Premonition

_**Within the soul lies an entity menacing than even the chaos stirring beneath the ocean's mist.**_

_**Premonition:**_

_Facing the Wrath of the Sea_

_**7**_

Walking against the edge of the ocean, Rinoa realized how small her world had become. She was a wanted criminal and in such a state she felt that the ends of the earth would cave in and crush her for lack of protection. She felt open, exposed, and made as obvious as the sun. Her description had been captured, spread by word of mouth, and who knew? Even the next town might know her by first name. The young woman shuddered at the thought of being hunted again by more soldiers. She would hate to witness what had happened before to the others who had dared to attack her.

She folded her arms and fought against the gusts being forced upon her from the open waters. Although the sun blazed in the sky, she continued to feel the chill of the waves recede the shoreline as she had walked beside Squall. Aside from Griever who had seemed to disappear from her reality for the moment, Squall was the only present protection in her world. He had been staring directly ahead as if certain they would find something worth settling upon. Rinoa realized she had no say so in their destinations, not that she had any bright ideas nonetheless. In the meantime, she would follow her self-appointed leader and _try_ to trust his decisions, as he had asked of her before. She forced her eyes to the short grass, watching as it rattled against the wind that had swiveled wildly, luring a fresh waft of air to her person. For the first time in hours she had begun to relax and had even managed to smile.

"Look ahead," Squall ordered, stopping suddenly and pointing out before them where the ground cut off like the edge of the earth. Her smile was lost just as soon as it came to be. There they saw a large vessel docked at a man-made harbor where a tiny plank bridge extended from the seashore and to the edge of the darker waters. There were large cardboard and wooden boxes stacked upon more of those same boxes along with metal contraptions gathered at the foot of the sea, all of which were hidden underneath plastic sheets, cloths, and blankets to protect the goods most likely until the seamen reached their final destination. Not too far from this harbor was a settlement made up of tents that surrounded an old, abandoned campfire. Squall noticed the exhausted fire had probably been put to rest moments ago when he saw a stream of smoke continuing to rise and dissipate at the skyline from the firewood.

"What now?" Rinoa asked in a murmur, bringing her eyes back to Squall as she awaited his thoughts, but he answered with a silent shrug of his shoulders. "You don't know?" She continued, turning from him with a sigh and facing the busy harbor again. Rinoa was surprised. She was absolutely positive he would have some plan that would thrust them forward. If there was one thing that she learned about Squall, it was that he seemed to be reliable in getting them out of sticky situations. The young woman still found it puzzling that he had escaped the forest despite the words of the warning she had received beforehand.

Understanding that now was not a good time to reminisce, Rinoa decided to observe the area ahead closely. Near the settlement she saw large men, all dressed in casual clothes, climb out of the vessel one at a time to gather the boxes and the pieces of metal and steel from the ground. She was relieved to find they had held no part of the Galbadian Army, seeing as there were no emblems, uniforms, or symbols of any such thing. For now, this particular ship crew might be their only means of hope.

"…Someone will find those Galbadian vehicles eventually…" She whispered, hoping to turn Squall's decision in her favor. Perhaps he would very much have reason to cross the ocean as well?

Squall's eyes remained glued to the vessel. "…If you stayed _here_," He had begun in a mutter, understanding the point she was getting at, "…it'll only be a matter of time before you're discovered…"

"…So you wanna take that boat?" She asked, looking back to Squall who had folded his arms with a soft exhale.

"Might as well," he answered blankly.

"But I don't think we can just walk onboard," the young woman groaned. "It doesn't look like it's open to _commoners_…"

"What other choice do we have?" The stern brunet solicited, beginning a bold pace toward the vessel.

"_Squall..."_ Rinoa sighed worriedly, following behind in his dangerous trails.

-- - - - - -

"This is the last shipment of the day!" Zell, a short blond and the newest member of the workers, yelled to his fellow comrades who were loading boxes of cargo onto a small metallic vessel bound for the distant horizon. The blond, wearing a sleeveless blue windbreaker, had a tattoo shaped to be a lightning bolt streaked down his left arm; its symbolism remained confidential even to most who knew him personally. Although loud and common, this particular young man was earnest and had quickly become a favorite among clients to those who had special deliveries overseas; however, he faltered under the demands of his own crewmembers and basically became center to their jokes. Zell, among the seamen, was the shortest yet loudest of them all.

"Zell, did you notice how quickly we gathered those boxes? It means we _know_ it's the last shipment! We all wanna get out of here before nightfall, and with you _screaming_ like that about this being the last shipment _ain't_ helpin' us none—so get off your scrawny little a-"

"That's enough! He's doing what _I_ ordered him to do."A shorter man said. "You know this final shipment will mean the end of his first sail with us—I'm disappointed that you would even speak to him that way, Zebac." He was dressed in a spiffy festive shirt with a pattern of palm trees aligned across its front and back that had fallen over his green pants. He placed his hands on his hips and stared into the taller sailor's eyes. His glare drew beads of sweat from the top of Ward's head, perspiration that could be seen even through the scarf that covered his hair.

"Sorry, Boss…" Ward Zebac answered his captain. There was a large scar covering his face which scrunched with fear at the moment he received the death glare. He feared for his termination— even if the threat had come from such a petite man. Ward's job as a sailor was his pride in life. To lose it would mean to lose life as well. He owed much to his fellow Captain Dobe; in fact, they had all called the little man _boss or mayor_ because he had earned much of their respect as denizens of Fisherman's Horizon, a place that was barely a town at all. FH was mostly a gathering point for all vessels and ships that had been going to and fro between continents delivering goods to either side of the sea. Made up of mostly men, it was where a man could dream high and have the pride of earning his place in the world. Still, people of small towns like Dollet would never dream of travelling to such a place, because it had been rumored a breeding ground for conniving thieves.

"Ward, you're one of my best men, but I will not tolerate you demoralizing my newest and _competent_ worker. Now finish what I asked you to do quickly, we need steam for the trip."

"Yes, sir." Ward answered, looking down at the boss first and then slipping Zell a sharp glare. Zell shook off Ward's threats immediately. He had no reason to fear the gigantic man; his skills in martial arts would more than make up for his lack of mouth power. If he could, he would've shared his mind with the bully long ago, but his honorable captain had stepped in before he could do anything to defend himself. In a way, he was thankful to his superior, but then the young fighter had wanted to make a name for himself onboard the ship as well, a name that was to be remembered and respected, and not as the captain's _competent _worker.

"Zell, see to it that everyone is back onboard and that all the cargo is loaded," the captain ordered. "Afterwards, report to deck and alert me when she's all ready to take off. We'll leave shortly after."

"Aye, sir." Zell answered, saluting the would-be mayor who had walked away muttering something of crawling back home for dinner with his wife. Seeing Dobe's frame disappear into the darkness of the ship's interior, the blond sighed into the blistery winds at sea.

"…I can't help but feel like something's wrong. I could be wrong though..." He said, folding his arms and turning his back to the open lands behind where his team had gathered the cargo not long ago. Hoping that the sunset would put his mind at ease, he faced the sea to smell the saltwater swirling in the breeze. Even in that moment standing so far away, his instincts told him of a terrible storm brewing in the belly of the ocean.

Then the blond was jerked backward suddenly; his arm was forced behind his back as a sharp object plunged toward his throat. "Wait!" The voice of a young woman called out as she made her way around the blond and his attacker, rushing into their view. Her arms were extended as if in defense and she pleaded with the man standing behind Zell who had just begun to push the tip of the dagger into his throat. "Are you _crazy_?!" the female screamed.

"You _wanted_ to board the vessel, right?"

"Yes, but this is _not _what I had in mind!"

Hearing the attacker behind him sighing, Zell realized the man was momentarily sidetracked. Seizing the moment of his distraction, the young fighter took this opportunity to break free. With a short breath, the blond shifted his energy to his arms and attempted to sling the man from his back and to the ground; however, he only found himself wrestling with a man of great strength. Instead of his victorious battle tactic, _he_ was met with the sands of the ground as the man thrust him forward into the earth and planted his foot onto his back. The brunet stood over him with the tip of the dagger's blade pointed directly at his face.

"Squall!" The woman yelled, rushing over to the two men. "Stop, please!" Rinoa yelled to him, keeping her arms extended, "That's enough!"

The blond had swallowed his breath hard as he stared upwards into the lifeless eyes of his attacker.

"Please," Rinoa begged, dropping her arms slowly and taking a step toward them "…just release him and we'll be on our way." Squall looked at the man on the ground once more before shifting his eyes to Rinoa's. The rush of adrenaline and rage slowly abandoned him and he lowered his weapon, finally turning his attention away from the injured man lying on the ground. He had taken a step back while facing the sea and exhaling deeply as Rinoa sighed in relief.

She looked at the frightened blond and extended her hand to him, offering him her aid from the ground. He stayed still a moment longer contemplating his and their actions. Finally, he reached his hand to hers where she lowered her own to grab and pull him up from the sand, but before the young woman could pull him entirely, he had pulled her roughly and moved his hand to her head, as if to break her neck.

"Sleep!" She panicked, and the man's grip at her throat released immediately. He fell backward with a loud thump to the ground almost instantly.

Squall had faced her quickly and saw the watchman lying flat on his back asleep. Rinoa stood to her feet with a bright smile. "See…that wasn't so bad," She grinned playfully. "If I had done that from the _beginning_, we could've avoided all this."

"Whatever," Squall groaned.

Only moments before the plan_ initiated,_ the two had hidden away in the wilderness and watched as all the cargo was loaded onboard the ship. They were debating whose plan would be more effective until all the boxes were gone and only one worker remained. When the lone worker had finally taken his patrol lightly and abandoned his watch, the desperate duo took action.

Eventually, they dragged the young man's body onto the vessel, stuffing him inside of a large crate half full of white powder and placed a smaller box atop that one. Squall closed the door with a button to the right of the entryway and watched as the two halves of the door came from the top and bottom to close them inside, creating an air tight closure to the vessel.

Concluding the closed doors as a signal from Zell, the captain ordered his men to take them out to sea. Within moments the ship departed from the harbor, leaving behind the only home Rinoa had ever known. She and Squall hid themselves at the very back of the vessel behind taller cargo boxes to be sure they weren't spotted out by any of the ship scouts who would probably walk back and forth monitoring the vessel's interiors to ensure a safe and worry-free trip to their destination.

Back on the front deck, Dobe stood behind a crewman who had busied himself with reading telegraphs sent in to them from various ships that were already out at sea.

"Sir, this doesn't look good." He said, turning to Dobe with a scrap of paper with S.O.S. scribbled on it, written out in his own fear.

"A distress?"

"Yes…" The crewman answered, bringing his eyes to the floor. "We've received this message from three separate ships, all within the same hour."

"Are you sure?" Dobe asked as he folded his arms and aligned his eyes with the crewmember. "What about that fisherman? What of his ship?"

"The last I heard… he was just docking in FH. They seem to be fine."

"And?"

"He couldn't deliver his cargo. He says his crew is more important than the cargo, and that you can yell at him for it all day long when you get back. He doesn't care."

"…That old man." Dobe laughed, bringing his hand to his face. "…Well, whatever's in those waters will have to wait because we're not going back to FH until we've delivered these things to Esthar first."

"Aren't we going to stop to refuel at the half mark?"

"We've got enough fuel and steam to last us two trips, besides we've lost enough time already with the break near Galbadia." He paused, turning his back and looking about the cabin, "…I think I'm beginning to grow soft like the old man. I can't let your wives go on being worried about you any longer, but I can't have them think of you as cowards either."

"Boss?" Ward hinted to his captain as he approached the man with folded arms, "…What now?"

"But…Maybe," Dobe frowned. "Maybe I'm not like that fisherman after all…." Bringing his eyes to Ward's concerned glare, he swallowed his breath and released a sigh. "…We sail."

----- -- -

"Hey! You can't keep me locked in this thing! This is deadly stuff you know!" The caged man screamed, knocking at the roof of his imprisonment. "Hey man! Are you even listening to me?!"

"No," Squall said simply, turning his face away from the box as he sat across from it, leaning his back against the wall.

"Squall, you don't have to be so _mean_." Rinoa gnashed, crouching down before the box.

"Hey!" Zell said, his voice muffled by the walls between them. "Is somebody there!?"

"Yeah." Rinoa answered stiffly, giving the box's side a thump with the ball of her fist that would be loud enough to answer the trapped man, but soft enough to evade a guard's ear. "Don't panic," she said, "we'll let you out just as soon as we've docked."

"Did you say _dock?_!" He yelled and exhaled loudly. "That'll take forever! You have no idea how long it takes to travel by sea! I'm going to die in this box if you don't get me out of here!" the blond retorted.

"Hey, calm down!" the girl urged. "Keep panicking like that and you'll run out of air!"

"I can't take it! I'm claustrophobic! _Please!"_ he begged, causing Rinoa to look back at Squall with concern hefty in her eyes.

"Squall…" She whispered as her eyes grew full, forcing his eyes to catch her own. _Can't we release him?_

"…No." He answered, leaning his head against the wall of the vessel.

"Please?" She asked, abandoning the box and facing him with a frown. "…I can empathize. After all, he was _forced_ inside of that dark, compressed place …" Rinoa sighed seeing that her sympathy for the stranger had fallen short with Squall. Even though he stared back at her, there was no expression, just a blank pair of haughty blue eyes.

"The point is," She continued, "…I wouldn't want to be locked inside of a box on a ship either! … So please…let's just let him out."

The brunet's eyes wandered to the young woman, momentarily sensing hurt and scorn from her words. He immediately looked away from her face. "Fine," He gave in. "Do what you want, but don't run to _me_ when they've gathered pitchforks…"

"…You're terrible," She muttered.

"Whatever." He spat, closing his eyes. "Like it or not, I won't always tell you what you _want_ to hear."

"Yeah, but that's still…" Rinoa sighed and looked away from him, "Never mind. I'd rather just take my chances and help _him_ out than sit here and take this from _you_."

"_You_ wanted to be here…"

"Probably no more than _you _did." She said, standing to her feet and grabbing the iron crate from the top of the large box. Squall grinned at her words and allowed her to carry on in rescuing their prisoner. As she dropped the top to the floor, the blond burst from the large box and jumped from its hold, landing clumsily on his knees and falling to his bottom with a loud bump to the ground.

"Ouch!" Zell yelped, rubbing the back of his thigh with a slight moan. Taking a moment to gather himself correctly, he bounced off the ground and wiped his hand on his leg. "You know, if you folks wanted to be stowaways, all you had to do was ask and I would've let you on. No problem," He said, shaking off the remaining dusty powder from his hair and clothes.

"Really?"

"No! You can't attack a person and expect him to help you afterwards!"

"Oh…" Rinoa mouthed with a frown.

"I suppose if you told me from the get go, the whole _attacking me thing_ wouldn't have happened and that's when I would've let you onboard." He thought aloud, rubbing his index finger to his chin. "Well," he sighed, "it doesn't matter now because you're here and there's nothing I can do about that. Stay quiet and no attention will be drawn to you. We've had plenty of stowaways before, and I kept my word with them so I won't tell anyone that you're here either…just as long as you agree to keep to yourselves and refrain from using any _physical_ attacks." He said, eyeing Squall especially for a moment longer. "Anyway, if you need anything, the name's Zell. I won't ask for yours or about where you're going because it's not any of my business! …But if you want to talk, I'm here."

"Well…" Rinoa started, looking to the left of his face for an answer. She wouldn't be able to tell him the whole truth without sounding suspicious.

"Zell, what are you _doing_ back there, the boss has been calling for you!"

"Oh!" He chuckled coolly, "Sorry, I was just uh…checking out the boxes, they seem to be A-Ok! I'll be right there then!"

"Good, so hurry up, will ya?!" The crew member said, shaking his head as he turned from the hallway and headed back to the vessel's front.

"No problem!" Zell yelled, waving his hand and then turned back to Rinoa with a smirk, "…I guess this can wait. Remember you're in good hands, I won't tell a soul about you or your friend."

_Friend…?_ Rinoa thought, her eyes falling to the floor at the edge of Zell's disappearing frame. She looked back at Squall who had still been sitting on the ground with his head pushed back against the wall. _…I've never thought about it until now… I don't know what to call him… My friend…?_

The brunet stretched his legs before him and folded his arms tightly against his stomach, creating a comfortable sit for the long sea trip. As Rinoa watched him, she felt her mouth form into a soft smile. He had seemed to be relaxed about everything since they had boarded the ship, and from his easiness, she too could feel a realm of safety around them.

Soon Rinoa was sitting adjacent to Squall on the floor in a hazy state, fighting against her sleep. She had promised to keep a watch out for any of the crewman other than Zell lest they be discovered and possibly cast overboard. Roughly an hour had passed since the blond left the two to keep themselves company, as his boss busied him with cabin duties elsewhere in the vessel. Rinoa eventually found herself drifting into a light slumber.

_**-Foolish woman, what are you waiting for?!- **__T_he beast's voice roared into her soul, shaking her violently out of her sleep.

_-Griever…? Is that you?-_

_**-Of course, I am always with you.-**_

_-But you left…I didn't know what happened to you.-_

_**-Soon you will understand my ways…and the ways of that mortal's.-**_

_-You mean Squall, right?- _She sighed, _-I haven't forgotten my word to you, but I'm curious about Squall.-_

_**-…He was a child of hate, and there was a time long ago when he and I, our souls tangled as one and we came together in shared desires. I gave him my strength, and he gave me his life.- **_

_-But why… What would drive him to such extremes?- _

_**-You mustn't concern yourself with his life. He is of no use to you. Better to rid the pendant from his neck now while he has submitted to the will of his flesh.-**_

_-Are you sure he's the person you say he is…?-_

_**-Am I or am I not your guardian? I will not allow you to lounge in the hands of the enemy, now take heed of my words and stop his pursuits! Strip the pendant from him, now!-**_Griever snarled, his impatience coursed through her soul, and she opened her eyes immediately to be certain Squall hadn't sensed its presence nearby.

_Griever… _She said inwardly, holding a hand to her heart to calm its thudding. It had felt like it shattered inside her chest with the beast's anger. When the girl opened her eyes, the light from the pendant around Squall's neck had reflected around the room against the metal hinges on each of the boxes around them. She swallowed a large lump in her throat and gathered the courage that would help her to carry out Griever's wish: taking the pendant from Squall's neck.

The young woman licked her lips and pushed herself from the vessel's door. Slowly, she placed her hands to the cold floor and got to her knees, beginning to crawl over to Squall as he lay asleep. He had remained in his snuggled position against the wall, but his eyes were closed and his head was lowered to the floor. As Griever had mentioned, the man had fallen asleep against his own will.

Rinoa made her way toward him, crawling slowly until she reached him, and brought her hand before herself. She inched her arm in front of him and aligned her fingers with his pendant, readying to snatch it from his neck. Finally, her fingers were inches away from touching the cold metal when Squall awoke, reaching forward suddenly and grabbing her wrist from his neck. The girl was frightened stiff.

"What do you think you're doing?" He asked with his head still downcast. His voice was too low to distinguish the level of betrayal she bore him.

She gulped immediately, her eyes darting side to side trying to think up an excuse. Her face grew pale and she tried jerking her hand away, but he maintained a tight grip around her wrist.

_What are you doing Rinoa?_ She told herself. _Stop him! Put him to sleep!_

"Don't even waste your breath," He said, opening his eyes and briefly Rinoa caught a glimpse of yellow light coming from them. "…That won't work on me."

"Squall I—l" Suddenly, the ship began to shake violently side to side upon the seas. "Aaaah!" Rinoa screamed and she fell forward into his arms. When the boxes scattered about them began to slide across the floor, Squall forgot the ordeal temporarily and held his arms around her, encasing them safely in the corner of the vessel.

When the turbulence made it impossible to walk, Squall realized they were trapped inside of the room. A large box toppled over and slid toward them dangerously, but Squall extended his leg and shielded Rinoa while he kicked the box aside and watched as it crashed into another that was on the verge of sliding across the room toward them also. He continued to protect her from the boxes skidding across the room as the ship tipped side to side amidst the angry sea.

He wrapped his arms around her and devoted his concentration to keeping the large boxes that had once shielded them from the eyes of the crewmembers, from now smashing them against the wall behind them. While in their struggle, Squall cast a silent spell of protect on them to lessen the damage inflicted by the loose boxes or that the boxes would repel to the walls of the ship.

At the front of the cabin, the ship's controls were going out of control. The vessel had been rammed at its side and had been rocking uncontrollably in the sea ever since. The screens were marked with a red line of words where pictures of a damaged wing of the ship had been projected onscreen.

"What the hell was that?!" A crewmember yelled, standing from his workstation. He had removed the headphones from his ears and faced the would-be mayor with fearful eyes. "This is _not_ a regular storm!"

In that moment each of the men had stared at one another quizzically, all in utter confusion and anxiety.

Outside of the vessel the waters were dark, the air was thick and the sea was upset. Her waves had collided against the ship, causing it to rock heavily side to side and making it unsteady. The sky was pitch black as the water grew full and menacing. Accompanying the sounds of the angry waves was the uproar of a blistering thunderstorm which had growled angrily. The sea cried with a rage of wind because it had sensed the trespassing of humans into its deepest and most sacred depths. The winds blew the ocean's deep waves into insanity conjuring up a deep wave that would surely devour the ship in one swallow; unfortunately, the nose of the vessel was falling directly into the mouth of the sea's angst.

"What's going on outside? There's no way a tide could've done that much damage to us!" Zell questioned, leaving the others in the cabin and making his way out to the deck.

"Zell! You stupid kid, get back inside!" Ward yelled to him, following the young man outdoors where he found him already drenched by the salt of the sea water. Zell was staring into the deep blue sea, his hands gripped tightly around the outer vessel's railings. The blond seemed to be staring at something peculiar out at sea. He gritted his teeth at the sight of a giant shadow in a large wave of water engaging the ship. When Ward forced his eyes to see what Zell had been staring at, his heart began pounding rampantly.

At sea, they saw a large fin rip through the waves like the slicing of butter. Its scales mirrored the lightning of the growing thunderstorm. It moved like a serpent through silk, fluidly like an eel. When the beast dived underwater, Ward knew it would make a landing on the vessel soon. He pulled Zell by his shirt collar and dragged him inside of the vessel with inhuman haste. The older sailor forced the younger man inside of the cabin just as the giant fish made contact with the boat again, rocking it viciously to its side. Without his heroic efforts, Zell might have easily been crushed or shaken from atop the vessel's deck.

Inside the ship, the captain and his crew had held onto their desks and safety bars platted around the room which had been installed in case the vessel had ever found the unlucky wrath of a white squall at sea. After surviving the second blow of the sea beast, the vessel fell onto the flat side of its bottom again.

All were quiet, stooping down and clinging to the support bars for security.

The blond tried to make his way back outside to get another glimpse of the serpent of the water, but Ward kept a tight grip around the back of the curious boy's neck. "Idiot, where are you going? Cut it out!" He snarled.

Dobe remained cautious as he stood to his feet in the back of the room, still holding on to a hand railing as well. Seeing that the older man was fine, Zell tried to make his way toward him, but Ward held him back in place again.

Succumbing to Ward's death grip, Zell sighed aloud and focused on informing his captain about the threat. "Something's out there sir and it ain't some whale! That's for sure!" He said in the doorway with Ward at his back.

"Oh no!" A fellow crewmember gasped. "The tail blade's been wiped out boss, there goes our speed!" He yelled, pointing at the screen where the red letters spelled out _danger_.

Dobe bit down into his lower lip and took a deep breath before turning to his dedicated crew. "…At this rate," He muttered to himself, not wanting the others to hear his distress, "I don't think we'll make it to Esthar in one piece."

Meanwhile, Rinoa clung tightly to Squall's coat as they were tossed around inside of vessel's interior like the sifting of rocks in a diamond hunter's net. She screamed and wrapped her arms around his waist, hiding her face into his belly as he looked around them, shielding her from rampant cargo. Most of the boxes surrounding them in particular were carrying iron rods and other hefty equipment that would be sure to deal a fatal blow to either of them if left unchecked. Rinoa, sobbing into Squall's stomach, continued to hold onto him tightly.

_I'm scared… _She cried within. _…I don't like this at all… _She lifted her head from his stomach and looked into his blue eyes with a sniffle._ Squall_, _are you angry with me? Is that why you're not doing anything else?_

Then a loud thump resounded throughout the ship's interior. The clanking pierced through her ear drums, sending her fearfully hiding her into his comforting embrace once more, where he tightened his arms around her shoulders while his own became hardened to the blows of the boxes that had continued to fall upon him as her protector.

At the uncontrollable twists and frightening bending of vessel's metal and steel, Rinoa closed her eyes and whisked her fears to Squall, trusting him to carry out what would be his duty for now. However, once she closed her eyes, she was granted a vision of the current storm at sea. Although the vision was blurry, she could distinguish the sea waves, the rain waters, and the grey clouds aligned in the black sky. Yet of all the frightening images of the natural storm, there was one that stood out amongst the rest.

Rinoa saw the body of a long, slender serpent viciously cutting through the ocean's mist and waves with fins of metallic and azure. It moved unlike any natural creature of the sea, swimming below _and_ above the water's surface at times. Seeing the aberrant side to side swishing of the beast's tail blade, Rinoa knew it was unlike any natural fish of the ocean.

The young woman placed her hand onto Squall's shoulder and squeezed it tightly as if to get his attention—hoping he too could witness her vision. She made a noticeable cry aloud, grabbing his full attention.

Then she saw what would be its final blow to the vessel. The serpent swam out yards away from the vessel at first, but then it turned around suddenly. Its nose was like a razor, knifing down into the deep blue water, and then dipping upward, the serpent made its way back to the surface of the ocean. At the moment it burst through the ocean's surface, the beast brought about the largest wave known to man ever, a tsunami of destruction. And it darted across the ocean's surface with a tsunami wave trailing its tail purposely to sink the vessel under the ocean where it would hold them as prisoners to its depth.

Rinoa watched as the large serpent tackled the vessel seconds before its violent wave landed, and where its nose touched down the steel was sliced in two. The tsunami would follow shortly after and rip the fractured vessel to shreds almost instantly. Witnessing the devastating blow moments before it would actually happen sent a cry from the young sorceress' heart, a cry that echoed from her being and reverberated throughout the vessel and the ocean. -_Leviathan, please go away!!-_ She ordered the large serpent with such a demand in her cry that even Squall was quickened by her power.

The beast growled, readying to charge into the vessel's side with its mouth extended like a swordfish's. Surely this time it would cause the vessel to flip over and upside down, where a devastating tsunami would have dragged it underneath the ocean's demands; however, the words of its master were written in gold, and the beast retreated into the distant sea like a fleeting nightmare.

With the serpent's retreat, the vessel and the crew inside were left in utter silence and bewilderment. The heavy thunderstorm finally died down leaving the air in an almost dead state. Although the danger was gone, the darkness still remained. No sailor had opened his mouth to speak against the curse.

When a solemn moment had passed, Rinoa rested her face against Squall's stiff chest in relief, glad to have him there to hold on to throughout her dilemma; however, the young man broke away from her quickly and stood to his feet. He glared at her with smoldering eyes.

"Squall…" She whispered, rising from the floor.

"Choose your battle wisely, sorceress. Don't mistake your foe for a friend…" He instructed her, but he fell to his knees suddenly, gasping for air. The brunet held his forehead with a steady palm persisting that she had kept her distance away from him. "Ugh!" Squall yelped, bringing his other hand to his face. Rinoa had watched him, and opted to help him, but he had upturned his face to her with fury. "…Don't come any closer," he grumbled, moving against the wall and closing her out completely. Rinoa was hurt by his words. Quickly she had to make amends with him. Surely he would forgive her false motives.

"But I didn't mean to—"

"You guys okay?" Zell said, rushing in and stopping to catch his breath at the end of the entryway. He saw how the boxes had overturned due to the rabid beast of the sea. "What a mess…" He muttered, bringing his hand to the side of his head.

"Zell…" Rinoa said from behind the tall and crashed boxes from the tiny corner of the vessel, "We're okay."

"Oh! Thank God!" The blond cheered, holding his hand over his heart. "I was gonna get a bruising for sure this time if the boss found two bodies back here."

"What do you mean 'bodies'—" The tall sailor said behind him, "Who's there?" Ward pushed Zell aside and looked through the boxes tossed at the sides of the room. He stepped inside the room and scanned the area. He especially took notice of the boxes near the right hand corner of the storage room and made his approach there.

Rinoa grabbed her necklace and took a step back out of the man's sight, hiding behind the boxes, but the lofty man pushed away her barrier and leered down at her and her companion who remained in a weakened state. Ward took another look at her and then his eyes shifted to the injured boy on the floor. "What are you two doing here?" He asked Rinoa. "Snuck onboard did you?"

She had swallowed her breath and nodded her head twice.

The big man stared intensely at her for a brief moment and then abandoned his rage. He burst out into a fit of laughter. "Well come on up to the deck and introduce yourselves. The boss'll be pleased to meet more survivors," Ward said, moving aside the broken boxes to help the young woman from the dark corner of the vessel. She had looked back at Squall for a second, and watched as he grabbed at his shirt as if struggling to breathe.

"What's the matter with your friend?" The huge sailor asked. "Doesn't like a few bumps in the sea?"

Rinoa sighed and faced the tall man again, this time giving him a soft smile, "I'm afraid so…he's not used to sailing."

"Is that so? Hmph, too soft to be a sailor then." He chuckled, his eyes finding Rinoa's again. "Guess we better get you two to someplace comfortable in the meantime. You can meet the boss later if you like."

"…Are you sure it's okay?" She murmured from her throat. "We don't mean to be a bother…"

"We're in the middle of the sea and won't be reaching land for a day or two." His voice boomed throughout the storage room. "Besides, you're travelers, just the kind of people we like to see. There's plenty of space onboard this ship, so why not trouble us with the luxury of a cabin room, eh?"

"See, didn't I tell you?" Zell cut in. "All you had to do was ask—"

"Numbskull, _you're the _one who has to _ask._ You let them on without even telling the boss!"

"Geez Ward, they sneaked inside," The blond retorted, "What was I suppose to—"

"Anyway…" The large sailor groaned, slapping the boy's head out of his sight. "I wish it were just a few bumps back there… There was some kind of a monster ramming into us a few moments ago—"

"Hey! I was talking!" Zell continued behind Ward's deep voice.

"Are you sure that's what it was?" Rinoa asked, looking at the taller man in shock.

"Yes, saw it with my own eyes," He answered. "But everything seems to be fine for the moment, so you can relax."

"Relax…" The young woman murmured softly, looking back to Squall who had finally gotten his composure. Although breathing heavily still, his body seemed to be at ease now. Despite their mild ordeal, she was glad to see how much _he_ had relaxed. Rinoa wondered how long he would be angry with her this time, possibly the length of the trip. "…You said it will take a day or two to reach land?"

"…Yeah, that's only if that beast decides not to attack us again." Ward muttered, folding his arms as he faced the cracks of the ship's floors. "…On the other hand, we may take a pit stop along the way. Only if you folks think that Balamb's the place to be. You might decide to stay there for a few days."

"Balamb…?" Rinoa asked, touching her fingers to her chin. "…I've never been there before."

"What-you've never been to _Balamb_?!" Zell exclaimed, pushing Ward aside using both of his arms and making his way directly in Rinoa's face. "…What kind of small hick place did you come from?"

Rinoa's eyes fell to the floor quickly, descending as suddenly as the lump in her throat had upon hearing the words leaving the young man's mouth.

"What's the matter?" He asked, tilting his head to the side hoping to have her full attention. Rinoa lifted her eyes from the floor slowly as a smile spread across her lips.

"…Nothing, I'm fine. I'd rather not talk about it, that's all." She looked away from them, making a full turn to face Squall as he had finally begun to stand to his feet. "…If you don't mind, we've had a long journey and we'd like to take up that offer…"

At her words, Ward smiled and nodded his head slowly. "Understood," He said, and then grabbed Zell by the neck and jerked the boy to the doorway of the storage room. "Zell, go tell the boss we've got company while I show them a room," His boisterous voice resounded across the room.

"…Okay." Zell said, mumbling about how the big man had begun to show off by ordering him around.

Rinoa smiled at the young blond as he left them all in the room together. The fairness of his hair immediately reminded her of the color of Squall's eyes as he had held his hand around her wrist moments before the serpent attacked the ship. His eyes had illuminated the same light as before, back when she had first encountered him in Edea's house. She wondered why it was so. Also, in a panicked state, she could have sworn that Squall answered to the mere thoughts flowing across her mind.

"Follow me." Ward said, his voice slicing through her thoughts as he had finally begun to lead them out of the messy storage room. Rinoa lingered in the room a moment with Squall alone, hoping to apologize about attempting to remove his pendant.

When the sailor was completely out of the room, she stared at Squall wondering if he had formed a grudge against her.

"Squall…" She whispered, reaching her hand to touch his shoulder but he refused her gesture by backing away disgustedly.

"…." The young man stared upon her face a second longer with eyes of scorn. At her mistrust, he found it difficult to say anything further to the young sorceress.

_Now Squall, without a moment to spare, followed after the tall sailor as he had exited the room, leaving Rinoa alone to sigh aloud--- sinking into a lull of gloom. _

_------_

_**ANNOUNCEMENT! RED ALERT!**_

"_Attention to all those at sea, there is a sorceress among us! The new sorceress has risen and she is very dangerous! She is not to be trusted! The sorceress allegedly murdered innocent civilians of Dollet and an entire fleet of Galbadian soldiers who were on scout patrol. Her descriptions are as follows: She's about 5'3, with black hair, and brown eyes, and she has a pale skin complexion. According to the scarce survivors in Dollet days ago, she was last seen wearing pajamas. If you see the witch, you are to report her position immediately. The last sighted reports place her near Timber shores, so anyone traveling with stowaways— please be careful…"_

_**

* * *

**_

_**Author's Little Notepad:**_

* * *

****

_Sorry I took my sweet time getting this to you all, but it's here at last! Hurrah! Thanks tremendously to everyone who reads this story. I know for a fact that I need to continue to evolve the story more, up until we see the last chapter…hmm, I wonder what that's going to be like? _

_So like, I'm under a new law now--- meaning I should've already replied to each of you who left a message (or review)---but I would still like to thank you guys for doing so, it helps me out so much! Thanks again, you know who you are!! (unless you forgot you did…which would be kinda sad, but don't worry…I forget things too!! lol)_

_Feel free to leave a message about this chapter: Tell me if it's great, good, bad, or ugly! (Gosh, I hope it's not that bad, to the point where it's just plain ugly, lol…) _

_Well...until next time, I hope you enjoyed the chapter much. Stay Tuned for the next chapter, "Conviction"...muahahaha-coughs-aaah..(I'm so goofy...)_

_Take care,_

_StardustRay_


	8. Conviction

_**Reflecting from its surface, the sea depicts an image of a woman ignorant of her own beauty**_

_**Conviction:**_

_Crossing the Ocean with a Madman_

8

Twelve men set out to aid the lieutenant, now six of those twelve men and the lieutenant lay for dead out in the plains of Timber after an audience with the young sorceress. Upon discovering the bodies, the soldiers found that one of those six men had a faint trace of a pulse. It was a wonder the soldier had survived for so long. They immediately began to treat him. The remaining seven healthier soldiers concluded that these men had unfortunately seen the workings of the new sorceress.

Racing for their parked vehicles, they tried their radios immediately to get in touch with Galbadian headquarters to report the incident and to get the injured soldier nursed back to health. He would become the eye witness Galbadia would need to state their claim to the public, so that the young sorceress, Rinoa Caraway, would be known nationwide as a threat to mankind, a threat to their very existence. She was a monster; one to be feared and hated by all.

At the time the sorceress and her guardian boarded the vessel at Timber's coast these discoveries had been made and reported. Sergeant Wedge was among the first of Galbadia's superiors to receive the call.

"Sergeant Wedge! Sergeant Wedge!" A lesser in rank soldier ran through the campgrounds of their fleet, trying his best to reach his sergeant. "Sir!" He yelled, making his way to the unmasked sergeant.

Wedge looked down at the short soldier and scratched a hand through his dark hair, "At ease, soldier, what is it?"

"Sir!" He squealed, placing his hands on his knees to gather his breath. "We—We…." He huffed. "…We received a message from a fleet that departed days ago sir. Apparently, a Lieutenant and four others were found dead earlier today. The soldiers stationed there have reason to believe the sorceress was there, sir!"

"What?!" He said. His soft brown eyes had suddenly become red. "Was it the team sent to Timber?"

"Yes sir."

"Then it was Lieutenant Mitchells and his men," Wedge muttered, closing his eyes and placing a hand over his forehead. "…What about the rest of his team and those that made contact just now…where are they?"

"They're at Timber's coast, sir! They're taking care of the survivor right now sir. He survived the sorceress' attack, but he's in critical condition, and they're not sure how much longer he can hold on. They're awaiting your orders sir!"

"What are they waiting for? Tell them to regroup and head here so we can treat the man with the appropriate medicines. I'll meet them halfway myself and safely escort them here. What's your name, soldier?"

"Me?" The young man gasped. "…I-It's Watts, sir."

"…Good job, Private Watts."

"Thank you sir, I'll….I'll continue to do my best sir!" The young soldier saluted him and ran away to deliver the sergeant's orders.

By nightfall the separate teams had finally met up. Sergeant Wedge's truck had driven around the few tanker vehicles and led them back to camp. By the time the team reached camp, the sun was just beginning to rise. Once there, the injured soldier was transported to the medic's tent immediately and the other soldiers were brought in to be served with warm meals and soft beds.

After a short rest, the team captains of the remaining seven of Lieutenant Mitchells' fleet gathered in Wedge's tent and discussed the details of their discovery with the sergeant. "We figured it was because of shock that Zone hadn't responded to any of us, but I didn't realize he had slipped into a coma." One of the captains said, speaking of the survivor of the earlier attacks.

"It was terrible---lucky he's still alive… Sir, the others," the second captain sighed, remembering the gruesome scene he had witnessed. He feared it would be months before the images were out of his mind completely.

"Save it," Wedge said finally. "I've already gotten the details and reports from other soldiers who scouted the area after you all were sent here. There's no need to bring up anymore of the Lieutenant's death."

"Thank you, sir," The young man whispered. "…Lieutenant Mitchells stationed us farther out than Zone and the others, which is why we're still alive. Unfortunately we weren't able to see the sorceress, nor did we come across any suspicious activity in the neighboring areas, but we did however sense a strong magic field surrounding the scene."

"It's weird…" Another soldier cut in, "It's almost as if she vanished right after the attacks…"

"This is a sorceress we're dealing with," The first captain muttered. "She's capable of anything."

"…_Almost_ anything…" Wedge said, "…She will not get away with these crimes. We'll see to it that she's stopped." The superior paused with a grin. "Anyone know what lies beyond the plains of Timber?"

"…There's nothing beyond that point, but the ocean sir." The two captains answered while exchanging curious looks to one another.

"Exactly…that's where we ought to station our next search. Let's go."

* * *

"You'll sleep here." Ward said, showing them into a room that had collapsed with the rowdiness of Leviathan's wrath earlier.

"We'll sleep _where?_" Rinoa asked quietly, looking up at the big man as he folded his arms in the doorway. "There's…" She faced the disastrous room again with a sigh. There was a toppled bookshelf at the right corner of the room where books and papers were scattered to the floor's center. If it weren't for the bunk bed chained in left corner of the room, Rinoa would have certainly mistaken it to be space for one person only. Aside from the bunk bed that was pushed against the wall, everything else, like the bookshelf and dressers to name a few, was in shambles. Rinoa's mind recounted everything that had been wrong with the room: papers all over the floor, pieces of broken glass from drinking mugs, a tiny window at the back of the room, and lack of movable space. Maybe claustrophobia was contagious?

Squall stepped into the room slowly and placed his hand on his hip as he came to a complete stop. Hearing Squall's heavy boots hit the floor behind her, Rinoa swallowed her pride and turned to Ward with a smile. "…Thank you for your hospitality. This will be fine."

"Of course, please rest well. I'm sure the boss'll want to meet you just as soon as you wake up. As for now, someone's gotta clean up these messes and I know just the man for the job," He smirked. "Zell!" The huge sailor yelled as he closed the tiny wooden door to their guest room.

Squall sighed and stepped across the mess in the center of the floor where he reached the bunk bed and leapt to the top bunk. Rinoa had hoped he would acknowledge her presence in the room with him, but he faced the wall and went to sleep.

Realizing his actions should not surprise her, the girl shrugged her shoulders and looked about the room once more. "…Look at this mess," She said as her eyes traveled the cabin room and then up to Squall's bunk. "…I don't know how you can sleep with everything on the floor like this." She frowned and lowered her eyes to the floor. "…I know what happened today was quite unpredictable, but couldn't they at least tie the furniture to the walls of the room like they did with the bed; welding it down to the floor or chaining it to the wall so that it stays put? They're sailors, you think they'd expect to sail rough seas from time to time. They should expect these kinds of things to happen…"

Rinoa looked at Squall as if inviting him to her complaining session, but he remained quiet. Inwardly, she knew he couldn't care any less. Perhaps by talking, she could break the ice that had once again formed between them; however, seeing as her plan of mending had failed, the brunette sighed aloud in defeat. She fanned at him and looked away from him in a huff. He was impossible.

"I can't go to bed with all this mess around. I've gotta clean up in here." She muttered. _Maybe if I clean…._ The young woman thought within: _My mind will be at ease._

…_I don't understand why that thing stopped attacking the ship right after I said so… Was it just a coincidence? _

_Squall might know…_

"Sq—" She began, but stopped immediately. _No, there's no point in asking him. He won't say anything to me now. Not after what I've done… _She groaned and stared at the trash on the floor. _What is Griever's purpose…? What will happen to Squall if I take the pendant from him?_ Rinoa raised her eyes toward the brunet who remained in bed, facing the wall and burying his head in a flat white pillow.

She bit her lower lip and took a step toward him. _I don't even know who you are, but somehow…I want to help you—not hurt you. So please…please give me another chance. Squall…_

At the moment her heart and mind agreed with the words of her soul, her eyes watered instantly. The young woman immediately wiped her eyes and knelt to the floor to start picking up the scattered papers and other things that had fallen down during the crash at sea. She had learned to hide away her sorrow through cleaning, and so, seeing as it was all that was left to do, she would begin to clean the room piece by piece until all articles were back in place. Perhaps all the loose articles swirling about in her mind would also find their places.

Squall rustled in his bed on the top bunk, fighting against the cold chill passing through their room. He had sighed inwardly and closed his eyes after clearly hearing the remarks of the sorceress.

"You think this is _bad_," He began in a mutter. "…Try sleeping on wet mud in a dark cave where the wind blows through your body at every second of the night, and then tell me if this place is too messy to sleep in."

Rinoa gasped speechlessly, stopping in the midst of picking paper up from the floor. She upturned her face to his bed slowly and watched as he rolled onto his back to stare at the ceiling. _…What do I do? Should I just stay quiet and pretend I didn't hear anything at all? …If I said something now, I'll probably end up saying the wrong thing and mess everything up again. _

The room was quiet. Only when the vessel rocked side to side occasionally did they actually hear its creaking. Squall inhaled slowly and placed his hands behind his head where he continued to stare into the surface of the ceiling. Rinoa swallowed her breath and squatted down onto the floor, placing the collected papers into a stack on the side. Even though he was difficult to keep company, she found herself curious about the wet mud bed he had probably taken up before.

"…You mean you actually had to sleep there?" Seeing as Squall remained awake for now, she would seize the opportunity to converse.

"…Only for a couple nights," he answered quietly. "…I've slept outdoors many nights, though."

"…Outdoors?" She asked, looking up at him, "…Squall, did you travel often? Didn't you have a home? Why would you sleep outside?" She continued her prying but Squall sigh inwardly and faced the wall again.

"Why do you ask so many questions?" His voice carried on quietly.

"I'm sorry…I'm just curious that's all."

"There's a fine line between curiosity and prying into other people's businesses…a line that you fail to see," he added.

"What? How can you say that? Aren't you the one who started this conversation?" She probed.

"I was only answering your first question."

"But it was rhetorical! You didn't _have _to answerit."

"What good is a question if it needn't be answered?" He merely cackled. "…You'd do better to keep those kinds of questions to yourself."

"No! Asking questions is all I have, why can't you see that? I don't _know_ what's going on here!" She yelled, standing from the floor and looking at him as he rolled over slowly to meet her eyes for the first time since they had been in the room together. "Do you know about the monster that attacked the ship today?"

"Not anymore than you."

"Its name was Leviathan…" She whispered, trotting toward the edge of his bed. "How could I have known that, Squall? ...Do you think I'm sort of responsible for it attacking us today?"

He turned his eyes to the ceiling once more and sighed, "…Why are you asking me? Don't you already know this answer?"

"Please don't say that!"

"Then why ask me if you don't want to hear my answer?"He rolled his body to face the wall again, tired of her foolish rambling. "…Whenever you're ready to understand, everything will become clear to you." He said softly as he closed his eyes and brought his arms down from the back of his head.

"…Squall, why—" she began, only to hear him release an agitated groan by her persistence. Realizing it was his way of ending the conversation, she forced her eyes to the floor of the room. "…Sorry," whispered the young woman.

"Don't make any noise and turn off the light when you're done," he muttered from his bed in the hollow room.

"What?! " She said, putting her hands on her hips and scrunching her face at his sight where she heard light snoring emerging from the brunet as he rested across the bed. At that moment, she realized her retaliation had failed. "You've got to be kidding? How can _anyone_ fall asleep that fast?!" She groaned, digging her fingers into her side.

"…So annoying," Rinoa whispered as she had begun to busy herself with cleaning.

--- --

After Rinoa was done with picking the books and papers from the floor and trying to make the room look less tacky, she turned out the light and lied down for sleep, but she found it hard to settle into the stiff surface of the bed. Perhaps the wet mud that Squall had mentioned before was softer than her bed now? Rinoa grinned and looked at the bed atop her own. She wondered who the man sleeping above her had been all along. What kind of life did he have before his tithes to Griever? Despite all the questioning about his past, she was glad that he hadn't kept his sour attitude for the rest of the night, seeing as he had actually spoken to her before the dawn of the new day.

The more she became glad about having his forgiveness, the more comfortable her bed became. All in all, she was thankful that they had had a room to sleep in, it would surely beat the cold grounds they had rested on in their travels and it would also beat the cold floor of the storage room that Zell would've made them sleep on had they still been considered stowaways.

Rinoa smiled. There was always something new happening to her each day. What had happened to her the last week had been more than she had ever experienced back in Dollet when growing up. Even if things seemed out of place and she was indeed the sorceress, she was beginning to like being on a journey with the mysterious man above her.

-----

_What time is it? I can't sleep… _It wasn't that she couldn't sleep, deep down inside, she didn't want to sleep. Every time she closed her eyes for long periods at a time, more images came across her mind. The past of the sorceresses before her, as Griever said, would yield to her everything it had to offer. _Only the past, never the future… _She recalled Griever's words. In time, she found herself questioning the very realm of the sorceresses. _It was like a desert… But I don't think it's always been like that… What about the flower field? Which of the sorceress' memories did it spawn from? Why did I dream about it so many times before? _

"…This doesn't make any sense," She sighed aloud. The young woman sat up and swung her legs to the side where she climbed out of bed and slipped into her socks and boots. The room seemed to shrink into something smaller as she rested her eyes. She needed an excuse to leave the room. "I need some water…" She whispered, as if concerning Squall who was too caught up in sleep to care whether she left at all or not.

As she exited the room, she was met by the short man in the festive island shirt, the very captain of the ship. "Ah, I see you're finally up," He began. "Zell told me all about you. Welcome."

"Thank you," she answered quietly, placing a shaky hand to her necklace.

"Your friend is still asleep, I presume?"

"Yes, he was really tired."

"Ah, no use covering for him, I hear he's not equipped for the seas." The old man said, looking back at Ward who stood tall behind him, smirking about something he had mentioned to Dobe earlier that morning about the stowaways. The big man folded his arms as he cleared his throat, still standing behind Dobe.

"…So you've heard." She said, smiling and folding her arms as well.

"Yeah, I have ears everywhere, madam," He grinned. "Well, I feel I must apologize for the rough tides earlier. Seems some of the ocean's creatures aren't as tamed as we would hope. Alas, a sailor must pull through any hardship that comes his way, so I'm glad that no one was hurt."

"Me too," Rinoa smiled.

"The strange thing is that fish—I'm guessing that's what it was— just left us alone. Must've gotten tired of picking with us, I guess."

"More than likely…" She answered nervously, feeling responsible for its attacks and flee.

"What a shame," Dobe sighed. "I was just about to test out our latest guns on him too."

"Weapons…?"

"Indeed, no sailor should be without them," He replied blandly. "…You never know what type of danger, large or small, will come your way. Best be prepared for anything, madam."

"Right," She agreed, although having a nervous lump sink deep into the pit of her stomach. "Well, I think I should be heading back to bed now. I'm a little bit more tired than I realized." Rinoa said, turning for her door.

"You shouldn't be tired; after all, you just woke up a few minutes ago. Right..?" Dobe said, taking a step toward the young woman. "Why, you haven't even told me your name."

"…Oh I didn't? …Are you sure?" She laughed nervously, glancing back at the old man who stood behind her in the enclosed corridor. She brought her hands to the doorknob and grabbed its handle firmly. "Gee, I don't know how that slipped my mind. That's so rude." She had begun to squeeze the doorknob to turn it, but she turned it the wrong way and heard the lock of the hinge click once. Turning to the sailors with a phony yawn, she grinned. "Goodnight," Rinoa whispered shakily.

"Stop right there!" Dobe yelled, "Block the doors!" He ordered his men, who jumped at the doorway before she could run inside of the room. "Ward! Grab her!"

"Aye!" The huge man said, making his way around Dobe in the hallway and grabbing the young woman at her door while the other seaman backed her into the tall man.

"Wait a minute!" Rinoa yelled, trying to fight back against the big sailor's grip. "What's going on?! I haven't done anything!"

"It's not about what you've done; it's what you're capable of doing!" Dobe answered. "Follow me to the deck."

"No…" She muttered as the group of men began heading toward the main cabin of the vessel. When they reached the wide control room, Ward held his grip her arms as he placed her on her feet.

"…I've heard about you!" Dobe said, walking toward her as Ward held her arms behind her back, "…And I know just what to do with your kind!"

Rinoa gasped aloud.

"By the time we're through with you, you won't ever think about stepping a foot outside of your door! I told you, I've got ears missy! If you and your partner think you can pull this off, you'd best think again," He snorted. "You picked the wrong ship to rob this time, sweetheart!"

In the midst of her panicking, Rinoa gave him a penetrating quizzical glare.

"Don't look at me like that, you deserve this!"

"…Robbing you?" She asked simply.

"Of course, that's what you do, isn't it? You pretend that you and your boyfriend are just passing through, and so you hitchhike on an unsuspecting captain's vessel, and then you rob him of his goods in the middle of the night when he's most vulnerable at sea, making off with all the cargo in the vessel's hold on a ship of your own." He grinned, "What I want to know is, where's your vessel at? Huh? You should tell your men that they won't be selling any of the spoils tonight."

Rinoa smiled at the old man's words. "Do you really think that?!" She said excitedly.

"What?" he was confused, surely the girl would fall to her guilty knees with conviction heavy in her heart, but alas she stood tall before him, smiling about his accusations.

"I thought you were talking about—" she cleared her throat before foolishly spilling her secret. She regained her composure. "I'm not a thief! I don't have any money, gil, whatever, I don't have anything; neither do I want any of yours. What I'm wearing now is what I own, and the same goes for my friend. I just want to cross the ocean, that's all."

"Are you toying with me, girl?"

"No sir, I've no reason to. Please, you have to believe me. I would never steal or do anything like that. All I want is to be able to get away from…"She ceased her words, "…_home_."

"If that's true then tell me why you want to leave Galbadia?"

"Because I…" She looked at the floor, "…Please. I'm not a thief. You have to believe me." She sighed and closed her eyes, "…This is all that I own." She glanced down to her attire, clothes that had collected tides of dusts and dirt of all sorts, her boots still dirty from the muddy grounds of the Timber Forest.

Dobe softened his death glare toward the girl, motioning for Ward to release her, and as the huge man released her, she moved her hands to her eyes and hid her face from Dobe.

"You must tell me why you're running away from home…you look like you're barely old enough to drive."

"I'm seventeen!" She yelled, moving her hands down from her face. "I'm mature enough to make my own decisions."

"Sure you are." The man said, folding his arms and looking at Ward. The two men nodded in agreement. "You know…" He began, "…If your parents don't like your boyfriend, sometimes you should take heed to their words. I know you kids hate to hear lectures, but it needs to be said that your parents are right most of the time."

"What? He's not my—"

"We're all adults here, so there's no need to be embarrassed," Dobe smiled. "My apologies miss, about the accusation. We've had too many robberies lately…" He sighed, still feeling guilty. "Excuse me…That's still no reason to hold you here like this, please. If there's anything I could do for you…"

"It's alright. I'm sorry to hear about those robberies though. I wish there was some way I could help you find them."

"…I tell you what, just keep a lookout for me wherever you decide to go next."

"Okay, I can do that."

"Ward, will you escort her back to her room, please?"

"Sir."

"Thank you." Rinoa said, and received a healthy nod from Dobe. "Please, the pleasure's all mine," He responded.

With Ward's guidance, she was led back to her room.

_

* * *

_

"_Attention to all those at sea, there is a sorceress among us! The new sorceress has risen and she is very dangerous! She is not to be trusted! The sorceress allegedly murdered innocent civilians of Dollet and an entire fleet of Galbadian soldiers who were on scout patrol. Her descriptions are as follows: She's about 5'3, with black hair, and brown eyes, and she has a pale skin complexion. According to the scarce survivors in Dollet days ago, she was last seen wearing pajamas. If you see the witch, you are to report her position immediately. The last sighted reports place her near Timber shores, so anyone traveling with stowaways— please be care—"_

"…Sir? What should we do?" The crewmember asked as he watched his admiral shut off the radio. The older man sighed and looked away from his men.

"…She's just a girl."

"Boss, you don't think she's the sor—" Ward began.

"And what do you think? She's not?" He howled. "…Depending on the answers I got out of her yesterday about she and her boyfriend's plans, I'd say she's hiding something, and also there are those descriptions…she fits them perfectly. But never in my mind would I have concluded anything like this."

There was utter silence between all the men.

"…There's something about her though…" Zell muttered. "…Was there some kind of mistake?"

"We were all fooled," Dobe concluded. "…Although we may not be her enemy, think about where she could be headed to right now? What would happen if she went to Fisherman's Horizon with us? There's a possibility that we would we become the next story of the sorceress' return, the next death toll." Dobe frowned. "…Zell, I understand what you're thinking, but the truth of the matter is we don't really know anything about that girl. Who knows what's really on her agenda."

The old man pushed his hands into his pockets and continued, "…While I have a feeling deep in my heart that she's only a girl at heart, there's also the reality of being imprisoned for aiding the escape of a sorceress," He groaned heavily. "I don't think we've known her long enough to be placing our lives on the line for her; therefore we'll have to report her now."

At his words, Zell frowned and lowered his head. He understood that the young woman was considered a threat to everyone, but there was something gentle about her, a likeable entity of peace from her spirit that he admired. Somehow in his heart, he knew to report her would be a terrible mistake. Whether it was a discernment of another dreadful episode at sea with the large fish once more, or just the betrayal of a new friend, he knew that the news couldn't have been good for her or for anyone's sake.

As the rest of the crew grew rowdy and took the initiative of their boss' commands, Zell backed out of the cabin doors quietly and sneaked out of the room unseen; however, there was one pair of eyes that saw his escape from the noisy room.

Down the long corridor the blond ran hastily, cutting the corner until he came across the stowaways' room. He opened the door and made his way to her bed where he found her sound asleep peacefully.

"Psst…psst…" Rinoa heard a buzzing at her ear. When she finally opened her eyes and turned over, she saw Zell kneeling beside her bed.

"Zell, what are you doing here?" She asked, wiping her eyes and rising from her mattress. "Is something wrong?"

"Yeah, we got some bad news on the radio about someone like you. You and your friend have to leave now!"

"…The radio?" She sighed.

"It's better I don't tell you everything right now because we don't have any time for that, but the boss's gonna report you to the army, so you have to get off this ship _right now_."

"…Zell," She muttered. "….Okay."

"C'mon, let's get out of here."

"Yeah…"

Realizing he was talking about the sorceress issue, Rinoa rose completely out from her bed and gathered the articles of loose clothing she had pushed aside to make herself more comfortable in the bed provided. Standing to her normal height, she reached across the top bunk to wake Squall only to find that his bed was empty. "Squall…?" She questioned, looking about the bed again. "Where did he go?" She asked, facing Zell hurriedly.

"Don't know, must've gotten up earlier?" Zell whispered. "Anyway, there's an escape vessel inside that you'll have to get on. Follow me."

"…Okay." She said, slipping her foot into the second boot and then taking a leave after Zell who opened her room door and studied the hallway. When the coast was clear, he darted out into the hall and ran down to a small door at the end of the corridor. Rinoa saw him open the little door and disappear into the room. When she followed him, she found a flight of stairs heading down toward the engine room. It was twice as loud being downstairs and steam pumped through the floors.

"It's just this way!" Zell yelled as he looked back at her for a second before turning forward once more and reaching another door at the wall of the steam room. He opened and held the door for her this time. "Go inside!"

"Wait a minute, where's Squall?" She asked, turning around in search of her partner.

"Don't worry, I'll go look for him and bring him back here. He's probably in the bathroom or something." Zell grinned, trying to keep her from panicking about her missing friend. "Just wait right here while I'll go get him, okay?"

"Okay!" She said and was about to enter the room, but she froze with precautious thoughts. "Could you go get him now? I can't leave him here…"

"I'm going! I'm going!" Zell said, as he released the door and ran toward the stairs. He stopped at the first step and faced her again with a shout, "But if I don't make it back in time, there's a green and red button in there at the driver's seat, press those two and then take the wheel! Everything's pretty self explanatory from there! Got it?"

"I think so!"

"Alright! I'll be right back!" He said and ran up the stairs hastily. When running out of the little door again, he was stopped by another crewmember.

"Yo, Zell! Was the sorceress down there?"

"No!" He answered quickly, "I…I'll keep searching!"

"Fine then get going!" The man said as he departed in search of the sorceress further down the hallway. Zell sighed in relief and then continued his search for her friend. He ran back to the room, but found it still empty and then he ran to the bathroom, which was a short ways from the storage room at the end of the second corridor. When he found that it too was empty, the blond sighed heavily, "Where could this guy have gone?"

Downstairs in the steam room, Rinoa was growing impatient. She knew it would be dangerous to just go about the ship on her own, but the concern for both Squall and Zell grew in her mind. She looked at the room where Zell had wanted her to wait and then she faced the stairs he had used to leave the steam room. From that moment on, the young woman had made up her mind. She clasped the ring at the tip of her necklace in her hand for comfort and then took a deep breath. "…Here goes nothing."

Meanwhile, Zell had concluded that Squall abandoned her on the ship long ago. With dismay heavy in his heart, the blond sighed and decided to head back downstairs to see Rinoa off. Leaving the storage room behind, he jogged to the little door that led downstairs to the steam room and opened it quickly where he found a large fist soaring to his face. The blond was punched hard and fell back against the wall behind him.

"Ward! What do you think you're doing?!" Zell yelled, holding his nose with his gloved hand.

"I think I should be asking you that question Zell." He growled, "She's down there, isn't she?"

"Hell if I know!"

"Of course you do, it's written all over your face." The huge man said, "Stay up here, the boss will have to break down a few rules to you."

"No way!" Zell said, holding up his fist set and skipping back and forth. As a fighter, he was impressively light on his feet. "I'm not going anywhere till I knock you out with these fists o' mine!"

"Save it twerp, I'll crush you."

"Over my dead body!" Zell shouted, throwing a punch rush toward the bigger man that landed sequentially to his abdomen, chest and chin, causing the bigger man to lose his balance and fall backward to the wall. Zell smirked, "I'd love to stay here and bruise you up some more, but I've got other things to do right now! See ya!" The fighter flashed another wide grin and then jumped the flight of the stairs to the steam room.

_He said to press the red and the green buttons and then to take the wheel…that sounds easy, right?_ Rinoa looked at the array of buttons scattered about the dashboard in the driver's seat of the detachable escape vessel. _It sure doesn't look that easy._ She frowned. _Squall, where are you?! I don't want to leave you behind…even though I probably couldn't if I tried… I don't even know how to drive this thing! _

She rose from the driver's seat and ran out of the room where she found Zell climbing down the stairs. "Zell! Where is he?"

"I can't find him… You have to go without him, okay? The captains already warning the army about you, so you have to get off of this ship now—Ugh!"

Just as Zell was explaining the situation, the huge man came crashing down the stairs and whacked Zell at the back of his head with the blunt side of an anchor made of steel. Rinoa's reflexes forced her to the duck and dodge the attack, but Zell, with his back turned to the large man, unfortunately was left in the way and took the full blow. He landed on the ground holding his head with a loud moan.

"That's for getting in my way, kid!" Ward screamed, pointing at the injured young sailor on the ground. "You're lucky I held back this time!"

"Hey! Leave him alone!" Rinoa yelled, rising from her crouch.

"Don't worry, he's finished for the day. After a blow like that, I don't think he'll be picking a fight with me again anytime soon." Ward grinned, plunging the end of his anchor into the ground and holding the neck of the arrowhead. "…The boss wants to have a little word with you. No one gets hurt, so just come with me."

"What about Zell, he just got hurt?"

"Never mind him, he doesn't count. That was personal. Listen little missy, we don't know anything about you, but there have been reports of sorceress activity swarming around these waters. If you help us out, we'll help you out."

"I don't believe that, Zell said that your captain has already warned the army about me, so why should I go with you?" She took a step back.

"…Stupid big mouth…" he mumbled underneath his breath. "He's getting fired for sure."

"Look, I don't care what those reports say I've done, I haven't done anything wrong! I'm innocent!" Rinoa screamed and ran toward the escape door, but the older man wouldn't have her running away in such a hurry. He lifted his anchor from the ground once more and raised it high, aiming at when she would arrive near the door exit. With a quick ready stance and tight grip at the anchors mid, he launched it across the room where it would soar toward Rinoa's back. When the tip of the anchor grew near her, it was suddenly knocked from her back and landed to the ground with a loud thud.

"How the hell—" The huge man gasped.

Rinoa froze. She could see the immobilized anchor rattling on the ground as it had landed behind her from the corner of her left eye.

"Are you okay?" the young man asked. His voice unbelievably restored her calmness just as soon as he had asked.

"…Squall," She whispered into the heat of the engine room.

"…Get inside of the room," he ordered.

"…Okay," She abided in his command without struggle and ran into the escape room. Rinoa ran inside but kept her face out of the door, curious about the intentions of the brunet.

"How did you do that?" Ward asked the shorter man, his voice barely able to grasp the full contents of what he had witnessed.

"…It doesn't matter." Squall muttered, beginning to walk toward the huge man who was frozen in fear and bewilderment also. Ward took note that the young man had no weapons of any sort drawn that could have at least deflected his anchor in one swing. He wouldn't dare to believe that the boy had hit the anchor, the one hundred percent steel anchor, with his bare fist; after all, this was the same boy he had noticed was ill for most of his time onboard their ship. How could he find the strength to do anything let alone something so extraordinarily impossible?

Squall walked as far as the blond who lay unconscious on the floor.

"…She's the sorceress, isn't she?" Ward asked, lowering his hands to his sides.

"Maybe so…but you people let your fear for her run your very own lives…Allowed it to turn you against your own comrade," he said, motioning his head toward Zell knocked out on the floor.

"You're wrong about that," Ward answered the mysterious stranger. "He betrayed us by helping her escape."

"But he wasn't overcome with fear for her."

Ward cleared his throat and squeezed his fists together. Squall approached the huge man and gave him a threatening glare. Seeing that the sailor was weaponless, he decided not to attack him with force. He never took on an opponent whom was unarmed.

"… You'll tell no one about this," the brunet said. "…_No one_ must know." His voice was flat, but the effects had caused a tingle to erupt inside the huge sailor's throat. From that point, the big man screamed and held his neck and he fell to his knees on the ground. He continued with a loud blaring scream.

"Wait!" Zell shouted from the floor, finally coming to. He grabbed the ankle of Squall's left boot only to have Squall kick his hand off immediately. "No…I just…" He coughed, "…What's her name? Please, she never…n-never told me her name."

Squall sighed and looked back to the room where Rinoa was waiting for him. As if knowing what the man on the floor had asked, Rinoa nodded her head to Squall giving him her permission to use her name. Squall closed his eyes slowly as he answered, "…Rinoa." Finally, he walked toward the room and went inside with Rinoa who had run in before him where they found a detachable vessel equipped for a party of six or less. Basing her memory by what Zell had said, Rinoa improvised and made the escape vessel respond to her command. In a matter of seconds, they had submerged beneath the larger ship and taken off in a sub-vessel, advancing beneath the ocean's surface to safety.

"It's coming from down here!" A crewmember yelled as he made his way downstairs. "Ward!! Zell! Captain, they're escaping!!" The men ran downstairs and filled the room to find one of their escape vessels missing and two of their men unconscious on the floor.

"…Better we let them go then die trying to keep them here." Dobe said, placing his rifle on his shoulder, "Bring these two to the recovery center and activate the tracker signal on that vessel. We'll give the army everything we know, and then we'll head home. I think you men have seen enough action for today."

Meanwhile Rinoa was left dumbfounded at the controls of the escape vessel. She had managed to find the green and red buttons that Zell pointed out beforehand, and immediately after those buttons had been activated, the ship was released from the main hold of Dobe's vessel. While the others ceased to hunt them down, they were left diving into steep waters. The deeper the escape vessel sunk, the colder the interior became.

"What are you doing?" Squall asked the madwoman behind the wheel of the vessel. Astonishingly, he felt his blood beginning to stir in fear.

"I'm trying to get us back in line!" She protested, tugging on the driver's wheel and pushing button after button in hopes of slowing down the ship's speed.

"Really…?" he breathed aloud. "Because it looks more like you're trying to plunge us ninety thousand leagues into the ocean floor."

"Stop it!" Rinoa gnashed. "You're not helping at all! Not to mention that we could've gotten out of that place a long time ago if you hadn't have left me there _alone_!" She scolded him, pushing the driver wheel forward which caused the vessel to plunge deeper into the sea.

"You're gonna crash us into the ground!" He yelled, his voice finally reflected the concern for their safety.

"Hey! I'm doing the best that I—Whoa!!" Rinoa panicked when her eyes made a dangerous discovery. Squall grabbed the back of her chair fiercely as he remained standing over her shoulder to view the oncoming obstacles undersea.

Quickly enclosing up ahead was a rock formation shaped to be the tops of underwater mountains. Fearing they would crash into the peaks, Rinoa pushed down on the steering wheel out of pure fear and mistakenly accelerated the ship's speed, descending them deeper and bringing them closer to the edge of the rocks. With the nose of the sub-vessel digging deeper into the ocean's blue, Squall fell off his feet and forward onto Rinoa's driver's seat. They saw the sharp rocks coming closer into view now. He gritted his teeth together angrily. There was no way he would allow her to crash in the middle of the ocean where they would drown to their deaths. It would be such a pathetic way to die--he thought.

"Let me grab the wheel!" Squall yelled, placing his left hand atop hers and turned the u-shaped steering wheel to the right of the rock formation; in doing so, the ship immediately changed course missing the calamity by mere inches. Without a moment to spare, he leaned over and pressed his right hand over hers and pulled the wheel back toward him gently until they felt the vessel become stable and begin to climb to the surface of the ocean.

Rinoa froze in the driver's seat, watching the view change from the deep ocean and to its surface where she found a possible trace of sunlight. Her heart was going rampant in her chest. She thought for sure they would have long crashed into the sea rocks. When the vessel was evenly leveled, Squall was able to stand on his own feet again. He continued to handle the wheel with professional care. Both of their eyes were glued to the ocean's depths.

"How are you doing that?" She asked shakily, her breath trembling nervously into the silence of the vessel.

"Don't know…" He answered softly, looking out of the front window while Rinoa slowly turned her eyes from the view and faced him as he remained hovering behind over her shoulder. She saw how his eyes reflected the ocean's vastness as he steered the vessel. He was intent on driving and serious, yet somehow Rinoa found a spark of enjoyment burning behind his eyes.

For the moment, Squall was having fun driving the sub-vessel, like a boy finding hidden joy when venturing his dirt bike onto a forbidden trail. She studied his face slowly, marveled at how he had seemed to remain calm even when their lives were at stake, yet somehow like earlier, she found that having him remain tranquil had kept her calm also. In time, her heart had relaxed and found its natural rhythm again, and she released a mollifying sigh into the stuffy vessel. The young woman faced the ocean view once more where her eyes fell upon the steering wheel. She found that his hands were atop her own.

Squall remained standing behind the driver's seat as he had helped her drive, his hands covering hers and pulling back on the wheel, steering them upwards. She looked at their knitted hands a second longer and suddenly felt like the temperature had risen in the room. Rinoa cleared her throat and focused her eyes on the course ahead, hoping that he would release the wheel, but the young man persisted. It seemed his mind was either dedicated to navigating the vessel or wandering amidst hidden thoughts. In all truth, she knew he probably hadn't even noticed his hands atop her own, but the curiousness as to why they remained that way had bemused her. Suddenly, she felt foolish about thinking such immature thoughts about the madman. She knew he would never think of her in that way-- only as a sorceress, and she knew how much he disliked sorceresses. Rinoa bit down into her lower lip and drew her eyes to ocean view again.

"…For the most part," Squall erupted from their awkward peace. "…You weren't alone in there." He muttered, answering to her earlier accusation about being neglected in the ship.

She opened her mouth to ask where he might have disappeared to, but found that the breath to form the words just wouldn't emerge. Instead the young woman sighed and closed her eyes as the sounds of the ocean's depth clattered at all sides of the vessel, oddly soothing her soul further.

Although her heart beckoned for an explanation about his disappearance, the young woman was just too tired to care about what had happened between the two of them. Somehow she knew Squall hadn't abandoned her. She trusted that he would make his appearance known eventually. She had even taken charge and started the engine to the escape vessel before Zell had made it back from his search for Squall. Rinoa wasn't one hundred percent sure she knew where he was, but above all the panic and hardship, she remembered his request to her just yesterday: _If you can try to trust me, then I'll try to trust you._

At the close of her thoughts, the girl eased her hands from beneath his on the steering wheel and allowed him to take complete control of the vessel. She rested her hands on her lap and opened her eyes, staring directly into the ocean's waters.

"…I don't know what all the fuss was about," He spat. "…Steering isn't that difficult."

"If I had a few more minutes with it, I would've gotten it under control." Rinoa murmured, rising from the driver's seat finally. She hadn't the strength to keep up with his arrogance at the moment.

"…Whatever." He answered blandly, keeping his eyes ahead of them as he moved around into the driver's seat and sat down.

Rinoa sighed heavily and took a seat which was farther back but still in the same little proximity of the escape vessel. It was built for six people at most. Any number beyond that count would clutter the flow of oxygen between passengers. Rinoa was thankful that it was just the two of them inside.

Once seated, Rinoa stared at Squall as he busied with piloting in the driver's seat. "…You steer well," She commented softly. Squall remained quiet. She was unsurprised that he left her compliment unanswered. The girl rested her face into the palm of her right hand, hiding a wide grin, and continued to stare at him from behind.

"…I hope Zell's okay," She murmured into her hand. "…He took a pretty hard blow to the head, don't you think so Squall?"

The brunet ignored the young woman's prattling. He was too caught up in steering the vessel to have concern in such narrow matters. When his silence persisted, Rinoa brought her hand down from her face with a sigh and folded her arms. "Yeah," She continued "…that's what I was thinking too." The girl grinned, rolling her eyes. She found humor in his silence. Even so, her concern for Zell had begun to stir the worry in her heart.

She raised her legs upon the seat beside her chair and lay her body down across the seats, pretending it was her bed from home. Besides the soothing sounds of the ocean and Squall's careful driving, she felt the only way to calm down would be to first make her surroundings comfortable. "…Still," She whispered softly, "…he got us out of there in time…even knowing what I am—who I am."

Her eyes traveled to the floor as her mind carried off the possibilities of how many people could actually trust her knowing her full and true identity. At that moment, the young woman frowned, "…What do you think will happen to him Squall? You don't think the other guys on that ship will…"

Finally Squall groaned aloud. "…Just because we've managed to escape from the boat doesn't mean we're completely out of harm's way," He said. "We need to first make a landing somewhere and get off of this vessel."

"…You're right." She sighed, realizing that even through all his coldness, Squall had made a point. They would first need to take care of themselves before they could begin to ponder the outcome of other's situations, lest they would get nowhere in their journey if they continued to look upon the recent past. "He'll be okay," Rinoa concluded. "I know it."

She rested her face upon the aligned seats with opened eyes gazing down at the floor, her heart beating with gentle familiarity; and there a spirit of peace enveloped her being, easing her mind through the harshness of her reality.

* * *

_Author's Wee Little Notepad:__

* * *

_

_Hey guys, I hope this chapter made you smile. Squall isn't so bad now, is he? I hope to advance the story onward through this chapter and hopefully break in more of the action soon. I'm beginning to find my rhythm again, slowly but surely, and hopefully I'll do so without wearing down my beta too much, eh? I hope he's okay now, hehehe, I'm just kidding Blue! I'm sending you more e-cookies too, make you nice and plump! Lol…I'm sorry, I'm in a rather goofy mood (as per usual) so you'll have to excuse me. _

_Thanks guys for leaving me your thoughts, it really helps me to keep going with the steam. Be as honest as you need to be with me, should you decide to leave a review; hopefully you will._

_Okay, so the next chapter will take a little more work as it's not completed as of now, but I'm in the process of piecing everything together so it shouldn't be too long of a wait. So I hope you all liked this chapter, and as always, let me know what you thought of it, okay? Have any questions, let me know! _

_Till next chapter,_

_StardustRay (...Oh my gosh, my birthday is coming up, isn't it? Joy...)_

_Last update 10/05/07_


	9. Strategy

_**What breaks a man can only make him stronger…**_

_**Strategy**_

_**9**_

_Out of the Sea and into the Fire_

Time was lost to them since they had been travelling by sub-vessel. He blinked his eyes once, far from being tired at the wheel. He had gotten ahead on his rest since the start of their voyage at sea, now he found something that would put his mind to work once again. It had been so long since he'd driven anything, like when he was twelve years old and behind the wheel of a Galbadian Jeep, driving six or seven wounded men back into the safety of their campgrounds in the sandy desert of Galbadia while the others fought a crowd of Estharians on the outskirts of their makeshift base. Old memories crept upon him like a bad dream, often he remembered scenes from a life which was left behind years ago; a life he had discontinued to believe was real.

Behind him, Rinoa lay asleep. She murmured some foreign words underneath her breath, waking him from the thoughts of his past and restoring his protective demeanor. The sea was still and peaceful, so much that he had even begun to travel on the edge of the water so that the nose of the vessel broke through the tides of the ocean. The water parted like a V on the front shield glass. Although he enjoyed his time piloting the vessel, he wondered if they would ever find land. The sky was brighter now, although not at full sunrise, yet he could easily distinguish up from down; unlike when they had first boarded the sub-vessel and Rinoa was its driver.

He glanced behind at her quickly, realizing that she had finally settled down and gone to sleep. It seemed that the girl hadn't slept a full hour since he made acquaintances with her some days ago. Even when they were journeying together by foot and had stopped to rest for a while she never used any of her time to sleep. Rinoa hadn't appeared tired most of the time, mostly cheerful; however, he was beginning to believe it was as if she didn't want to sleep and maybe even _afraid _to.

Squall looked over his shoulder at her once more, this time his eyes focused on her a little longer. She looked so young. Hadn't it been for their circumstances, he would never have guessed that she was a sorceress, one capable of so great a power. He sighed and faced forward again, taking his eyes away from the peaceful site behind. From the looks of things, they were getting closer to land; however, he remained clueless as to what that land was. The brunet increased the speed of the large vessel to bring an end to their sea journey before any of her enemies learned of their location.

Rinoa stirred in her sleep and moaned softly.

Underneath her closed eyelids, she found more images of horrific acts of violence in the past lives of other sorceresses. Her heart was filled with sadness, _their _sadness and hate. The grief inflicted to them over the years had been stored inside of her, constantly reminding her of the burden that had now been thrust upon her shoulders.

In the midst of these gruesome images, the words of the black shadow of Obel Lake coursed through her veins:_ Vividarium et Intervigilium et Viatar… _

"Vivi…" The young woman began to mutter in her sleep. "…vividarium…"

As her words were spoken, the ocean became a darker shade of blue around them and seemed to swallow them up. Squall sat up in his seat quickly and looked about the vessel's front, wondering where and why the new tide had risen. He had faintly sensed an aura all around the ship since Rinoa had fallen into a deep sleep, but it was a peaceful aura at first; however, now he feared he was seeing a terrible side of her dream, or maybe even the black side of her nightmare.

"Vividarium…" She whispered again, but her voice, even in such a light state, reverberated throughout the vessel.

Squall, realizing the words that sprouted from her mouth, immediately turned to her yelling, "Rinoa! Wake up!"

The girl was frozen in a deep slumber.

"Rinoa!" Squall yelled again, using his instincts and steering the vessel above the surface of the water where they burst through roughly and landed onto the ocean's surface with a splash. "Sorceress, get up!" He ordered, abandoning the wheel and making his way to her. He could hear her forming the words of some mystical force beneath her breath, syllable by syllable, and with the rolling of her tongue. The man picked her up into his arms where her own arms fell lifelessly toward the floor like a ragdoll. "Rinoa!!" He tried again. This time she opened her eyes at the sound of her name being called suddenly and distraughtly.

Rinoa brought her brown eyes to meet his blue orbs, staring into them softly and purely. She was neither afraid nor cheerful. There was no life in her eyes whatsoever.

"…Who _are _you?" Rinoa asked, only to have him stare into her eyes quizzically for a moment. He was bewildered. Then a wave of heat emitted from her body and rushed through his fingers and hands, and then through the rest of his skin. The heat tormented his flesh as though punishment for touching the young sorceress without her consent. The enflamed man dropped her onto the seat immediately and stood to his feet, the heat was too painful for words or screams. It had been ages since he felt the sting of a needle or the force of a punch; he was immune to various methods of pain through Griever. There he stood, studying his hands for some explanation to the pain, looking at his hands as they burned with fire that crawled beneath his skin. Yet even through all the agony, he had forgotten how to cry.

Rinoa closed her eyes and heaved a loud sigh. With the release of her breath, the vessel fluctuated like the bottom of an earthworm's belly and surged faster to the oncoming shoreline. Squall fell to his knees. The pain of his burning hands was unbearable. He no longer cared about piloting the vessel, and if it would crash then he would die without a care in the world. The vessel shrieked through the ocean until it reached the shores, crashing the ground at an incredible speed. Squall was swept from his knees on the floor and collapsed out cold with a broken image of the room being crushed like brittle aluminum under tremendous heat.

There was darkness yet again.

- - -- -- -- --

_Am I asleep?_

_I'm cold…so cold…like death itself. _

_I can't move my body. What happened to me?_

…_I don't remember anything. I can't move anything at all!_

… _Somebody please help me…_

…_Squall….help me._

"She's moving now," A voice whispered across the room. "Get me a wet towel quickly!"

"Ugh…" the girl moaned, her injuries burning her skin.

"Please don't try to move just yet, you're still hurt. Lucky we found you when we did; otherwise you wouldn't be alive now."

"He…Help me."

"Relax sweetheart, you're safe."

"…What about…Sq-Squall?" She was weakened; his name barely escaped the skin of her lips.

"…A friend?" There was a moment of silence before the voice returned. "...Don't worry about your friend, _you_ need to rest. Please don't speak anymore."

"…Thank y--" Her words exhausted her energy rapidly, causing her to fall unconscious into the comfort of the bed beneath her body.

"You're welcome." The kind voice answered, placing the warm towel to her cheek where the bruises had darkened. The girl's body was fragile, her arms red with tears after being exposed to open flames. The scene was quite troubling however, as the girl appeared without a mere scratch when first discovered. How these wounds had come to be had baffled all those who looked upon her feeble body. The stranger sighed, a blonde woman in her early twenties, she had wondered what happened to the teen.

On an early morning stroll to the beach of Balamb, she sensed unusual behavior in the sea's waves. Normally for that time of day, the water was a lot calmer, almost appearing as flat as the plains of Galbadia; however, this time the water was jumpy, like it had been unsettled by some uncomfortable motion erupting from the belly of the sea. After careful observation, she found that something had been emerging from the water at high speed, ripping through the waves like a menace of some sort.

Seconds after the waves went berserk; the ground began to rumble with anger. She could feel the tremors vibrating through her legs, like her bones were being minced to pieces underneath her skin. The woman knelt to the ground to take cover as the trouble emerged from the ocean with rage. From then on her eyes were closed, and all she could remember happening afterwards was hearing a loud crash at the edge of the beach against the wall of rocks.

The wreckage was incredible. What looked to be an FH sub-vessel was now crashed into the mountainside and dug into the sands of the beach. The nose of the ship was flattened and the rest of it had been smashed down like a soda can. She and the rest of her comrades had gathered at the mouth of the beach to investigate the crash site where they found burning metal and a fiery trail of oil that surrounded the vessel.

"Quick!" She announced to those standing around her, "We need to put this fire out right away! Mark?!" She shouted for a young teenager who was standing in the midst of the men behind the tall blonde, tiptoeing to see what everyone had been staring at. With his bony figure shaking in fear behind the broad shouldered men, Mark was unsure how he ever got to be amongst them at all. He was startled that she had called his name above all those who followed her.

"Y-Yes?!" He answered nervously, watching as the other men moved from around him so she could see his tiny figure.

"I want you to head back to the base and tell them what's happened. We need supplies to put out this fire since water alone won't be able to do it. There's an oil trail here that's caught flames. I need you to tell them to bring what they can to stop it, got it?"

"Yes!" He said as he turned away from the group and headed back toward their home base. She faced the tides of the sea again only to find a dark figure lurking about to her left on the cliff that oversaw the crash site. When giving it her full attention, she realized it was one of her own men who had taken the search methods for survivors into his own hands. She sighed in relief, glad that it hadn't been anyone else.

"Quistis, what should we do?"

She stepped toward the flames slowly. "…Someone is already checking for any survivors from up there. That means our main concern is to put this fire out before it attracts any unwanted attention. Let's move quickly, hopefully, the victims survived that crash…I doubt anyone would though." She had murmured the last bit to herself. "Come on!"

The men Mark was sent to call finally arrived with Mark included after Quistis' men investigated the wreckage for some time, trying their best to put the flames to rest. She was glad to see the men had brought along fire extinguishers and other tools used to put out the tougher fires. She finally decided to stand back and let the men finish the job.

"Hey! It looks like someone's crawling out of the water over there!" The man standing on the cliff shouted as he oversaw the shoreline and a simple taste of the ocean's vastness. He was pointing down the beach some ways away from the crash site.

At the observer's words, Quistis and several men free of their duties abandoned the burnt vessel to find its only survivor who lay unconscious on the shoreline of the beach. It was a young woman, still breathing but soaked with saltwater. When they approached the girl, they wondered if she might have been the only survivor. She seemed to be too young to have piloted the machine on her own. Seaweed tied into her hair covering a darkened bruise above her left eye brow.

The girl was sprawled out across the sand, almost as if she had been placed there. Because of the waves rushing in from the ocean, there was no evidence of footsteps left behind of anyone who might have rescued her from the vessel. The crew had also become bewildered as to how the girl had managed to escape from a burning vessel without any injuries aside from the bump upon her forehead.

They considered it a miracle if there ever was one on the continent of Balamb.

Without another moment to spare, Quistis quickly ordered her gathered up and brought to safety in their shelter of a home. Later, she watched the girl take soft breaths as her arms apparently began to become red with invisible cuts and scrapes. The wounds were unnatural, apparently having erupted from within. Her condition differed greatly now than when she was first found, where there were no apparent scrapes and tears upon her skin. Quistis ruled out any bogus thoughts like the fact that it was still a bit dark when they first discovered the wounds. Perhaps their eyes had not seen these wounds so suddenly? She wondered if there was some internal bleeding and had sent for a trustworthy doctor right away.

It was apparent that there was definitely something very different about her. The strange aura emitting from her skin somehow reminded the blonde of a caretaker from her past life, a life she hadn't cared to forget. At the sound of the door opening, she snapped out of her short lived memory and looked back at the incoming figure. It was Dr. Kadowaki, the only doctor she could trust from the small town up the road who could be in and out of the shelter before any suspicions could arise.

"Doctor," Quistis began as she rose from her seat beside the bed. "I don't know what's wrong with her, but we've been keeping her warm."

"Keeping the victim warm is the right thing to do after an accident. Now please, don't worry anymore. I'll have a look at her. Why don't you go outside and get some fresh air?"

"You're right…Thank you for coming."

"Oh, it's no trouble at all, my dear. Please take care of your men."

"Thanks doctor, I will." Quistis spoke as she exited the room leaving the doctor to look after the young mysterious crash survivor. The kind words of the doctor had bothered Quistis. With every visit to their shelter she risked trouble; possibly having her license to practice medicine revoked, even sentenced to prison. It was the only reason they were located in the midst of a forest on the continent of Balamb miles away from the city lights. They were hiding out, responsible for many unspeakable crimes. Quistis and the band of men, notorious yet well hidden. The crash hit too close to home, the young woman thought to herself, any more smoke and it might have drawn attention to their hideout and risked having them found out and possibly exploited.

She realized that if they were discovered, then _he_ would have made his way back to them by now. If she were to see his face now, then Quistis knew they would need to pack up what was necessary and abandon ship. She tried as best as she could to put the fire out as quickly as possible. Her men's lives were at stake either way it seemed: putting out the fire too fast and someone could've been burned by the hazardous flames, too slow and the police might have wandered down from the town to observe the source. If someone were to come along, she knew her experienced watchmen would've taken them out swiftly and the others would have made quick work of the body and all traces of that person ever being there. Over and over Quistis reviewed the situation from every possible angle gathering her rights and wrongs, all in preparation of facing his discretion. He was her toughest critic. It seemed no matter how well her job had been done, he could always find where she had faulted. He was so well at pointing out her mishaps that she believed he could find a patch of dirt in a field of snow. Being second to him, it would seem that she would always be _second_, scarcely rewarded for her successes and excessively hammered for her fails. She thought it rightfully deserved for the lifestyle she had chosen for herself. Everything could never be perfect.

Quistis closed her eyes a moment and gathered her breath. She had to remember that nothing suspicious had happened following the incident earlier, so for now, they were in good shape.

"Quistis," A young voice came from down the corridor. It was Mark, making soft footsteps along the hallway as if afraid to anger the blonde who was standing outside of the victim's door. She at eased herself and faced the boy slowly, hiding all traces of anxiety as a leader would make certain to her men that trouble was out of sight.

"Yes Mark, what is it?"

"We were all wondering… You see, the smoke from the fire raised into the sky for that little while. Maybe someone else saw it too. So…me and a couple of the other guys came up with a plan…It's…kinda stupid."

"Mark, don't ever doubt your ability. Calling an idea stupid will get you nowhere, please, tell me what you guys came up with." She encouraged him, folding her arms and giving him her utmost attention.

"Well…" He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, "…We were going to take a car and drive up the shoreline with paper and stuff to burn it on the beach. So that way, if anyone saw fire and called the police, we would be there burning the paper…and if the police questioned us, we would just tell them that we're…" he paused.

"Tell them what Mark?" She questioned, leaning her head to the side with a smile. He lowered his bony arm as redness flushed his cheeks.

"Well…that we were all just out of relationships and wanted to get rid of the things that reminded us of our ex-girlfriends."

"Oh Mark, that's so cute and brilliant. You guys can leave right away."

"Really?" His blue eyes sparkled with surprise.

"Yes, but you have to hurry. The smoke started earlier. You'll have to burn it but then put it right out to make up for the lost time and burn the papers every half hour to make it look periodically. Make your campfire between where the vessel crashed and the town itself. Don't park it too close to the shelter though; we don't want any more attention brought along this way, okay?"

"'Course not!" He smiled and backed away from her, "Thanks Quistis, Seifer would've laughed at my plan."

"Although he may be cynical, nine times out of ten he's right. Don't forget that he's responsible for getting us the clothes on our backs and the food that we eat daily."

"I know…" he sounded somewhat disheartened by her comments, seeing his look of frustration, Quistis sighed and grinned, "Nine out of TEN…which means that ideas like yours still have a chance of survival."

A smile returned to his face and he was off to take on the little idea. She was glad to see that their men had taken every effort to keep the base hidden from all eyes. If anything, she hoped the boys would do their jobs quickly, hopefully before Seifer headed back their way. His idea would become one of the nine she had mentioned a little while ago rather quickly. Unlike her, Seifer didn't mind breaking the egos of the young hearts who had come to work for them.

_I need to be sure that none of them try to rise up against me someday. You can't encourage them too much, or they'll just backstab you. You're being too soft on them Quistis, and if you keep that up, they'll think you're a pushover._ She hated to admit to it, but Seifer was right. They were orphans scrounging around for survival, not soldiers. There was no honor as much as she might have wanted them to appear having trust. She could trust the boys, but it didn't mean they would always follow instruction. Upon thinking of honor, she almost regretted having let Mark have his way with the plan. Should Seifer appear now, it would be one item on the list of her many faults.

She shrugged at the bitter cold air that passed through the walkway. It was too chilly to be the air from outside. Maybe it had been the chilliness of the thoughts swarming around inside her head. Apparently it was midday, they had spent dawn hours fighting the fire at the coast, and now that the sun was up, they could relax and find peace 

with the warm wind and blissful tides of the sea. The salt of the shore was strong enough to smell even from the woods surrounding their hideout. Quistis always admired the fact that she could choose between having shed and sunlight day by day, considering of course, she wasn't involved in any other time consuming activities. Depending on how the day carried out, she might need to relax and release with another stroll in the woods before figuring out what to do with the ship wreckage on the beach.

"I wonder…" She whispered, making her way down the hall and to the exiting doors. What would they do with the remnants? Quistis quickly masked her fears and faced her men with the boldness of a powerful leader that roared through her being. They would find a solution to the problem, and quickly.

Outside, Quistis found a small group of men gathered around the lookout who had spotted the young woman at the shoreline earlier that day. Curious about what might have been the problem, she crept up to the crowd and listened in.

"When I looked over the ledge, it was like staring at the sea goddess' angry side. It's a miracle that girl didn't get washed into the rocks when she climbed out of the ship. But I say she had help, 'cause when I saw her coming out of the water, she wasn't moving her body, more like she was being carried by something."

"Earl, you sure it wasn't the ocean tides? Water can carry anything, you know?" Another man snarled, pushing in closer to hear Earl's story.

"You calling me stupid? _Everybody_ on this green earth knows that water can carry anything regardless of its weight. Long as it's detached from the ground, it floats like a feather on the water's surface." He laughed, "I swear I thought she was crawling out at first, but she just came out of the water."

"What, like she glided onto the shore?"

"She was carried onto the shore, not by water…but more an angel."

"Like a guardian angel?"

"Yeah…cause there's no other way that girl could've survived that crash and swam to safety. You all saw the remains of that ship…which is practically nothing now."

-- -- --

Down in the town of Balamb in the business district where a strip of stores paved the streets, an impatient merchant tapped his foot while a man in his mid twenties studied his latest creation which followed after the hearts of the editors in a Weapons Monthly Magazine, featuring a gunblade weapon called the _Shear Trigger_. It's medium sized handle and thin blade made it an appealing weapon, but it failed to the taste of the advent weapon collector currently observing its beauty.

"No, this ain't good enough." Seifer Almasy spoke as he tossed the weapon across the shopkeeper's table. His voice trailed out to the street since the door was left wide open. On a hot and busy day like this one, the shopkeeper needed to let the place air out for a while. The smell of weapons and ammunition was strong enough to give a stray cat walking the road outside a headache.

"What do you mean it's _not good_ _enough_?!"

"First of all, this is a beginner's weapon, so it's low in ranking, and being such a low rank means the materials used to create this hideous mockery of a gunblade is nothing but some random sticks and stones you found lying around on the ground. It's not worth the price you want for it, and I'm not paying for it. Now being a wielder of a gunblade myself, I'm ashamed that you even have this on the market. I could easily report you!"

"No!! Please, it's not a fake! It's made of raw materials. I myself am a traveler and when my shop is closed, that means I've gone off to find materials to create these weapons."

"Spare me your life story old man!" The blond yelled. "The bottom line here is that you have insulted gunblade specialists with this measly excuse for a collection. Not only is it your ONLY gunblade, but it is a sad and pathetic gunblade that I find appalling! If you want more business and better materials to make better weapons, I suggest you do your travelling _outside_ of Balamb otherwise, your customers won't be happy and it will never sell!" He closed his rant finally, as he turned for the exiting doors and stamped off down the street.

The old man was heartbroken, and he looked down upon the weapon with dismay. A gunblade in itself was a rarity. Being able to create a perfect gunblade was even rarer. He had come across the revolver handle by pure chance, hearing stories that it was tied to the last gunblade known as the Lion Heart, having been created by the same maker, but he wasn't sure if the stories were true. Being such a big fan of the Lion Heart myth as any junk shopkeeper would be, he was bought instantly and paid the price in full for the revolver edge. From that he was able to scrape up the rest of the materials and create the shear trigger. On some level, the younger man was right, if he had used better materials he could've indeed made a better weapon, but he would not accept his precious creation being labeled as a phony. He was too professional of a shopkeeper to ever sell anything less than authentic to his customers.

"…Is that a gunblade?" the voice of another male crept into the room slowly, like a dream. The older man looked up from the weapon he had been comforting with a sigh.

"Yes, it is," He answered, his voice sounding dry and broken. "But I'm afraid it fails as a good weapon, so I'll need to take it in and make some repairs."

"Can I take a look at it?"

Already broken by the remarks of the earlier customer, he hesitated a moment. "As I said, it's going to be repaired. This isn't the final version."

"I understand. It takes time to build the right weapon." The man said, his cold blue eyes seeing the gunblade only. He reached his hands outward as the older man placed the weapon onto his palms like an offering upon the throne of a king. After taking a moment to observe the gunblade's every bump and curve, the young man locked eyes with the older man's again.

The shopkeeper awaited his review, his heart seeming to have stopped beating along the way.

"…It seems to be fine, it's not a work of art, but it would prove as a worthy weapon. The base is light, not too heavy which is a good thing, anything too heavy becomes a disadvantage in the heat of battle," He said while grabbing the blade by its handle and lifting it with one arm. "It's sturdy, and easy to wield." Courting the handle between both of his hands he moved back away from the shopkeeper's desk and assumed a battle stance. With a quick slice through the air, he turned back to the shopkeeper lowering the weapon to his side and putting his left hand on his hip. "The only thing you need to worry about repairing is the blade. You're a weapon maker, so you know what items would make this a better weapon. Don't worry about making the improvement on the base, because it's fine."

The shopkeeper's eyes had widened since the moment the young man had taken a closer look at the qualities of his gunblade. He was glad to have someone appreciate his hard work on such a prized collectible. "Young man, that's unbelievable! You sound like an expert! Are you a gunblade specialist? You seem like a great fighter. Tell me!"

"…I have experience with the gunblade, that's all."

"That's it? …With a keen observation like that, I'd think you fought in wars passed your time." The old man laughed as he walked around his desk and over to the young man. "You know what, I want you to keep that gunblade, hell, you're the only one who appreciates its worth around here so I'll gladly let you take it with no charge. I'd rather see it off with someone who knows how to use it proficiently than to have it sit around here and grow dull overtime."

"Hey old man!" The blond from earlier returned. He was walking into the store with his ego to high heaven. "I was thinking, I'll take the gunblade and make my own modifications to it."

"Sorry, but it's been sold." The shopkeeper stated, posting his hands on his hips and facing Seifer. "So you can keep your modifications."

"Say _what_?!"

"The gunblade is no longer up for sale, as purchased by this young man who you see standing here." He said, motioning his hand to the brunet standing across the room, gunblade in hand. The angry man gritted his teeth at the sight of the kid, dressed in black and with a sinister demeanor. He had never come across him before in his travels, which was a rarity. Seifer was known amongst travelers and to underground warlords. It was by his hands that many unfortunate towns received ways of defending themselves from dangers such as minor rebels and beasts that had wandered too close to their homes. Above all, he had never come across another to wield his choice of weapon since he was the only one of his time able to wield such a complex weapon. Even if he had, he would've remembered that person right away. This however, was a chance encounter, and he would not simply allow this man to walk away with the gunblade, even if it wasn't a weapon worthy enough to be part of his growing collection.

"You there, I'll buy it from you then." He smirked, "I doubt you're able to wield that thing anyway."

"It's not for resell!" The shopkeeper announced.

"You stay out of this old man! Your business is complete. _I'm_ talking to him now, and he can decide to keep it or give it to me."

The shopkeeper gave a worried look to the brunet then scrunched up his nose at Seifer, "You're standing in _my _store…."

Looking down at the weapon at his side, the brunet shrugged and faced the old man again, "I'll take it."

"Good! The transaction is final which means he's not going to sell it to you," the shopkeeper answered, turning about to face Squall and then back to Seifer again. "Now please leave my store immediately. You are not welcome here!"

"Listen old man, you can't put words in his mouth-"

"What the shopkeeper said is as it goes. Money is of no value to me, so I'm not intending to sell it."

Seifer stood in the doorway a moment longer, steam rising to his forehead. "_Fine!_" he retorted "That gunblade was crap anyway! I don't need it!" And with that, he turned away.

The shopkeeper grinned at the brunet, "You know what? I like you. I'll throw in this sheath and these ammo rounds as well. You use them to your discretion."

"Thank you," Squall said as he took his new belongings and equipped them properly.

"…Ever since I heard about the Lion Heart myth, I was fascinated with the gunblade as a weapon. It's such an exotic weapon and it's rare to see someone who can wield it properly nowadays. That young fellow just now, he comes in here quite often. Normally he complains because I never had any gunblade weaponry and when I finally got one…..well, you heard him yourself. Anyway, he happens to be a gunblade wielder as well… If things were different, I'd say you two should get to know each other better, but I don't think there would be peace in that scenario, so just forget it. I tell you, kids these days are _never_ satisfied."

"You mentioned the Lion Heart myth..."Squall interrupted the man's words, apparently caring less about the flame head who had left them to be moments ago and more about the remnants of stories about his precious Lion Heart.

"Heard of it, haven't you? Said that its wielder was turned into a _beast_ for wielding it…You know the one that lurks around when the sorceress is alive? They say it's the ancient lion… I get chills every time I hear about that, I swear." He shrugged off his fear, "Anyway, they say that the Lion Heart gunblade was cast somewhere deep down into the earth's core and out of all human sight just so there wouldn't be a next victim of that fate, but I think the real reason is so there wouldn't be another having the power to withstand an army of a soldiers. I would've liked to see the design on that gunblade, it sounds magnificent."

_It is…_ Squall thought to himself as he sheathed the lesser gunblade onto his side. "Where in the earth's core would you say it is?"

The shopkeeper laughed, "You don't really believe in it do you? Anyone can see that that lion is no human since he slays everything in sight, or so I've heard. But if I had to entertain this myth, I'd think it was somewhere way out of reach. Like in a place under both ground and water, where only a being of greater power could cast it away as the myth implies. One would think it's in a place where even a captain with the best ship crew on the planet wouldn't sail."

"…Underground _and _water?" Squall repeated the words to himself.

"Don't go searching in vain now. It's only a myth. You're still young, so make the most of your life."

"My life is a journey;" the boy muttered. "…A myth is based loosely off a legend. A legend is the product of fiction and fact." With his words spoken, he strode boldly to face the shopkeeper's doorway. "Thanks for the gunblade. I'll make full use of these supplies." He spoke without looking back for a single moment.

"...You're welcome…" It was then, as the man in black left his store that the shopkeeper realized he was unlike anyone he had ever met before. There was something strangely unique about the young man leaving.

Running to the door of his shop to get another glance at the young traveler, he found no trace of him out on either side of the street. The crowd was small, and it was easy to see up the road from one glance, but the mysterious man was nowhere in sight. He had disappeared like a ghost.

The old man frowned, "I didn't even get his name."

Realizing there was nothing further in his interest, Squall left the small town. He had been on his feet ever since the crash earlier that day. In his own opinion, no mere mortal could ever survive the wreckage seeing as it was melting with iron and other materials in its interior as it had on the outer surface. Somehow in the midst of the crash, he had managed to wrap Rinoa tightly inside a cocoon of safety despite her outburst in an attempt to injure him. He was able to grab hold of her and place her down while the vessel crashed and smashed into the wall of the mountain.

With the crash toward the front they were both knocked unconscious, however his unconsciousness lasted only for a few moments, allowing him to break through the burning rubble to an escape from the back of the vessel and climb out of it with Rinoa in his hold. From there, he swam to the shore after being swept down the shoreline by the ocean's current. He placed Rinoa down on the beach and left her there knowing there were people yammering about that the vessel was caught on fire. He left her yards away from the scene and it would be a matter of time before they discovered her. As far as he was concerned, he wanted nothing to do with her. She had found a way to injure him despite his invulnerability to mostly anything. She had found a weakness…

However, he admitted to being angry as he abandoned her on the shore line, but after walking so far away from the scene, he realized Rinoa had fallen into some type of trance and had lost control of her body when she attacked him. He would indeed need to practice his own sermon before storming out on her forever; that is, learning to trust her as she had begun to trust him.

Besides, he had begun to hear her thoughts about him again, which meant that she might have regained consciousness by now.

_Squall….help me._ The words of her mind rushed through his soul; it seemed his fate began to craft into its mold.

* * *

_**Author's "Jot that Down" Tablet**_

* * *

_I don't have much to say, but that I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please stay tuned for the next update, which will be soon. Thank you all for your previous reviews, they were very honest and heartfelt. It's always good to have feedback from everyone, helps me keep focus and continue till the end. I love constructive criticism, but I also love to hear if you're just enjoying your read, so feel free to leave a review. Thanks for reading! I'll see you soon with a new update._

_I want to thank my beta reader, Blue, who wants to take part of the blame for such a late update, but I won't let him take any of it. THANKS BLUE!! You're awesome and you've done an awesome job again! Thank you!  
_

_I would also like to thank Mare-Mare, Jayliyah, and RenegadeSeraph for helping me keep focus with writing and idle chatting through messaging, you guys rock! Thanks guys! Your support is greatly cherished._

_Thanks everyone and take care! _

_**Adieu, **_

_**StardustRay**_

–_**Last update 10/18/07. ( I like keeping my update dates, just to see how much time has passed since the last update. Just interesting tidbits…..I hope to cut the time between my updates in half though.)**_


	10. Safety

"Her wounds…her wounds, they're fading away!" Doctor Kadowaki exclaimed as she rose from the girl's side holding herbal medicines in her hand. "Somebody call for Quistis quickly! This girl's wounds have faded away!"

_**Keep your allies close, for they are your cloak from all who intend your demise.**_

_**Safety**_

_**10**_

_An Ally or Foe_

Moments later Quistis burst into the room, her trusty companions trailing behind to close the door as she entered. "Did I get the right message?" She asked, looking upon the girl's body at Kadowaki's side. The doctor remained standing in one place flabbergasted by what she had witnessed. "Doctor Kadowaki…you're amazing!"

"Not at all. Although I am happy to see this girl on a straight path to healing, I'm afraid this incident is beyond my medicine…"

"What? How is that possible? You're the best doctor in Balamb…so how can anything surpass—" Quistis briefly recalled a force that could heal a person's body in the blink of an eye, but such a force was a rarity. "You don't think…."

"…Is there any _other_ way?" Kadowaki asked, lifting her eyebrow with intrigue. "I haven't even started to treat her with my medicines yet. It all happened as I was observing her wounds."

"…Magic?" Quistis whispered and faced the girl again, taking a seat on the chair that was beside her bed.

"…If that's the case, I'll say that there is no more need for me to be here. It's best if we let this girl heal on her own time. At this rate, she should be up and about within an hour or so."

"But are you sure she's going to be fine?" Quistis argued, placing her elbows onto her knees and leaning into her hands. "We both know that magic heals effectively, but wouldn't you agree that herbal medicine lasts longer?" The blonde added.

"Yes, but when the wound cannot be healed with natural medicine, spiritual healing works best," The wise older woman said, and there was a moment of silence between them before Kadowaki heaved a soft sigh and looked away from the girl's body. Her little to none work had been done.

The doctor gathered up her belongings and packed her suitcase. She grabbed her coat from the chair and walked toward the door of the room. The doctor stopped suddenly at the door's entryway almost as if something had caught her by the coat and faced Quistis. "…There's something very different about this child," she stated firmly. "Please look after her for as long as you possibly can Quistis. If there's anyone in this wretched bandit country who knows anything about magic, it's you. Edea would certainly not allow you to let her wisdom go to waste," Quistis saw the visible state of urgency of the doctor's mind more in her eyes than what she had heard in her voice; however she had spoken a vile name, one that had sent a chill down the young woman's spine: _Edea._

"…Kadowaki, I told you _never_ to use that name around here."

"You must forgive an old woman for her rambles…it's all she has left to hold on to." The old doctor grinned shortly, but was disappointed when Quistis continued a cold blank stare toward her. "…I don't remember you ever being so bitter toward her, but please, I meant no harm in mentioning your dear _friend_."

"…Please travel well…" Quistis spoke, purposely ending their conversation. Edea was part of a life she had rather left in her past.

"Thank you dear and good bye." Doctor Kadowaki said as she exited the room after receiving a healthy farewell nod from Quistis. Out of their courtesy, Quistis' watchmen closed the door behind her and escorted her off of the premises. Dr. Kadowaki, because of her close ties to Quistis, was the only outsider allowed in, but now she was leaving their base once and for all, or whenever Quistis' anger had subsided.

After a few minutes of sitting in complete silence inside the room, Quistis closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It had been years since she thought about Edea Kramer, the late sorceress of their time. A flood of memories rushed through her mind at once. The young woman touched her fingers to her forehead and only hoped to push them away.

--

Squall sensed her presence further east from the town of Balamb. The air was heavy and notably quieter than it had been on his first trip up the road. The sky was colorless like a sheet of white paper. It was overcast, heavy and ready for rain; however it seemed as though it would never release any precipitation onto the land. He glanced up momentarily, taking comfort in the fact that the sun had hidden away behind the clouds. He wouldn't need to worry about its heat, although the wind speed had increased drastically since his start down the road.

It was a nice chance to be alone for a bit, without having to hear her mutterings at his side for a change, although he somewhat missed her quiet humming which she did often when her mind was occupied with other things. She seemed to not be aware of her own humming habit though.

A violent gust of wind thrust him forward, making his step harder than he intended and woke him from his thoughts. He now feasted his eyes on the site of the woods ahead, realizing that the company's hideout had to have been located somewhere deep within. There were no constructions set up near the shore where they had crash landed which meant that her caretaker's base had been a secret, hidden inside the woods. It was a dead giveaway.

_I'm almost there Rinoa…_

Squall was correct. Their hideout was located somewhere at the edge of the small country of Balamb. It was hidden by a mouth of trees as thick as woods and mountains that shaped the continent's outer edge. If the brunet should wonder why the occupants of the small town had never set out to discover it, it was because they rarely made adventures passed the plains outside of town as it was rumored the territory of a beast living beneath the earth similar to Timber forest's apparition. Sure it was a farfetched myth, but there were some cases over the years where explorers often never returned from their strolls to the mountains of Balamb, which could further prove the story true. Afterwards, the people lost interest in actually venturing along the beach of Balamb. It was a beautiful sight, but equally deadly.

Even the slightest whispered rumor of a group of men grazing the plane outside of Balamb occurred, but there was none brave enough to make it known to the rest of Balamb. Balamb was a well gossiped town, made up of mostly women and young women, children, older men and women who were considered defenseless and living out the remainder of their lives, and anyone else living there who was not under the previous categories were considered cowards. The younger men had also been disappearing left and right, often moving to bigger cities or finding jobs near the neighboring harbor of Fishermen's Horizon. It seemed as though a town that had cared less for traveling on nature trails was the perfect hideaway for their group.

Ironically, their base was an abandoned shelter. The building, unknown to its current residents, was renovated once before after having suffered extensive fire damage to which the cause was unknown and tragedy occurred, and it was eventually abandoned overtime for obvious reasons. It had been discovered by Seifer and a few other men, and was immediately occupied soon after.

It sheltered younger men, wounded soldiers, and even a few bandits, including Seifer and Quistis. Orphans made up most of their group, those who were thrown from previous shelters and other orphanages because they had exceeded the age limit permitted for residency there. By law, the young women of the orphanages were permitted to stay a few years longer than the men until they found jobs or schools that would provide them places to live a stable life. And if there was still trouble in making new lives, the women were eligible for hire as an orphanage employee and they could work while living there for as long as needed. Of course, that life would never suit the fair Quistis well, as she chose to make her own way into the world without the support of the unfair shelter system. Why there were so many orphans had all been the thanks of Galbadia's dictatorship, which forced men into war over a century's time where so many of them had lost their lives to the oppressors of Esthar.

Of course, nothing would fully explain each of the men's personal vendettas as to why they joined Seifer and Quistis' group which evolved after taking in so many orphans and the injured and had soon began to sink below the law. It had more levels than one, but the floors of this base did not ascend but rather descended beneath to basement levels. There was a first floor, which every one of the group was made well aware of and considered important, contained an entry hallway, a gathering room where all their meetings were held, a kitchen, quite a few bathrooms and a stretch of hallway where the first set of multiple tiny rooms were and Rinoa was currently being kept. These were also the rooms where all the men slept warm in their beds during the night if they were not scheduled with watch duty. Each room contained a bed, dresser, closet, and sometimes a table lamp. Restrooms and shower rooms were located out in the hallway, once at each end of the hallway and one in the middle to be precise. There was a main power switch which was shut off at night which forced its occupants to bedtime. Those hoping to stay up to finish reading books and magazines were provided table lamps, but even then there was a curfew as they could not be used passed a certain time at night as per the safety of their new home.

Out in the den of the first floor was a stairway that led down to the basement level where the remainder shelter rooms were, but these rooms were used for those of higher standings within the group. There was one more large room that served as a dividend between the rooms and a hall of cells. These cells were fashioned much like a disciplinary ward where a person could be stored inside solitary for possibly violating the laws of the old orphanage; however, they were now closed off and used for unmentionable reasons by Seifer. Rarely were they made open to most of the men in the group. Other than those places inside the base that majority of the men knew of, it declined further so much that there were places unreached even by Seifer who had claimed to know the entire blueprint of their new home like the back of his hand. However, no one would dare challenge his knowledge or stand to explore the base for himself. They were happy to have been taken in and cared for, and had utilized close to sixty percent of the shelter's space capacity which was the first floor and the basement levels alone.

There were no working lights outside of the building, and even if they were, they had been forced off due to its secrecy. The building was wide but not tall, and from a distance it acted as a base to the woods, possibly making the woods appear thicker than they actually were. Even so, no one ever dared to trail so far into the wild, as concern of monsters and other mutations increased during certain points in the year. Now being a season of standard Bite Bugs and Glacial Eyes, crystal shaped ice monsters that were known for frequently terrorizing the town.

The same wind that once stalked Rinoa began to pass over Balamb. The people, living both in the town and sheltered, would lay to rest their futile fear was of the small frenzies of mindless monsters lurking about the plains, for something far worse was at bay, lying asleep and hidden out of sight. Worst yet, it was already passed their sacred shoreline.

_Rinoa…_

His voice fell into her conscience like the sad music from the strings of a violin. "…Hmm" the girl in blue murmured, somehow having heard his voice within her mind and waking up. She moved her arms stiffly from her sides and pulled them closer to her face. She was buried beneath a mountain of comforters all which was starting to make her feel hot and dread remaining asleep.

"Hey…" A voice at her side whispered. "Are you awake? Are you still in pain?" Quistis was asking as she sat at Rinoa's beside on the edge of her seat. She grabbed the girl's hand hoping to encourage her full recovery from a minor coma spell.

"Pain?" Rinoa repeated softly. Why would she be in pain? She remembered falling asleep under Squall's watch on the sub-vessel after all. "…I don't _think_ I am." She answered slowly and unsurely, and even a little amused.

"Well that's good. You're going to be fine," the blonde smiled, releasing the young woman's warm hand. Ironically, just hours ago, Quistis remember it being as cold as death.

Within moments, Rinoa slowly opened her eyes. The first thing to greet her eyes was the blare of light shining in from the white ceiling of the room. She instinctively moved her hands to cover her face and turned her head toward the voice that was speaking to her moments before. Moving her eyes slightly to the right had brought them in line with a pair of blue eyes belonging to that of a beautiful woman with blonde hair. As her eyes focused in, she realized this woman may have been a few years older than her, but it was hard to tell because her smile made her appear to be a youth. The girl grinned immediately. Even though nothing made sense to her at that moment, she was glad to be waking up in the company of a peaceful woman rather than inside, on the cold floor of a prison cell with a maniac.

Eventually, her eyes were able to stand alone, and she brought her hands down from her face to look around at her surroundings but found that she could not see passed the sight of her bed. It didn't matter for the moment since the bed was incredibly comfortable, unlike the bed from the sea voyage back on Dobe's boat. There was cushion, comforters, pillows, even a throw pillow that she could snuggle up with as if it were a stuffed animal. Funny that such an innocent thought actually sent a chill down her spine, forcing her to wonder where she might have wounded up anyway. It was odd that she had woken up in such a strange and cozy place.

"…Where am I?" Rinoa asked finally.

"You're in Balamb now," Quistis answered softly. "I'm not sure if you remember any of it, but you were in a crash today. We found your ship mangled to pieces at the edge of the beach just outside."

"…A crash?"

Quistis paused, realizing she might have to give a thorough report to the bedridden survivor starting with the crash. "Yes, since this morning you've been under our care. I'm afraid your vessel is no longer accessible."

"That can't be right… We were…we were sailing fine." Rinoa answered, having no recollection of the events leading up to the crash. Her heart immediately began to beat wildly.

"I'm afraid I have more bad news," She paused. "When we first brought you here, you asked for someone leading us to believe that you weren't alone at the time of the explosion. My men are searching the wreckage, but so far haven't been able to find anyone else." Quistis sighed in between her words. "I'm sorry, but I don't believe your friend made it out alive." As she apologized, Rinoa's mouth dropped in disbelief. "…I am truly sorry..." Quistis repeated softly thinking the news might have been given to the girl all too soon.

"…You mean _Squall_? Something's happened to Squall?" Rinoa shot up from the bed quickly and tossed the hot sheets and comforters from over her legs. Suddenly the area that was so hard to distinguish before had been revealed to her, as if a light had come on and illuminated her path. There was a door across the room, a door she knew she would need to reach in order to find Squall. There was no way something could have happened to him; after all, she had heard what sounded like his voice just as soon as she came to moments ago. Maybe he was trapped somewhere, caught between some debris and was unable to help himself? Maybe the only one who could reach him at that moment was her? Rinoa needed to act and fast.

"What are you doing? You need rest, you're still tired," Quistis intruded.

"…Rest? I feel like I've been asleep forever! I can't stay here like this knowing that Squall's in danger. I _have_ to go." The girl said as she grabbed her boots that had been placed together neatly beside her bed. She slipped her feet into the socks first and shoved her foot inside the right boot, the same for the left, and headed for the door of the room quickly. Her eagerness apparently rode out higher than her actual ability to do so, and she was fighting to move at her normal pace because of the internal injuries she had endured. Quistis saw her struggle and rose swiftly out of her chair, trotting behind the brunette to catch her arm. She stopped the girl's pursuit before she could hurt herself further.

"Please calm down! I know it's hard to hear, but we're doing the best that we can to find your friend!" Quistis spoke, holding on to Rinoa's arm tightly.

"Squall can't be dead! He's alright! I _know_ he is!" Rinoa fought against Quistis's grasp and grabbed the doorknob violently only to find that her own anxiousness had made it difficult to open the door. "I refuse…" She turned toward the blonde and pushed her off with a weak thrust. "I refuse to believe that he's…"

"…I'm sorry." Quistis whispered as she forced the weak girl into an embrace, pressing her face against the wideness of her shoulder. She comforted Rinoa like an older sibling or perhaps as a mother would to her disappointed child. "I promise you that we're doing our best. It's just taking us some time to get through all the rubble."

_Squall…are you really…?_ Rinoa spoke in her own mind, hoping that his voice would return to hers as it had earlier, but when left in silence for the next few seconds, she was left with no other conclusion.

Quistis felt the girl's body fall against hers weakly all at once as if her hope had died. Her breath was hot against her body, sickly hot. Quistis feared she may have been breeching her limits on her own feet.

"Come to bed, you're still weak and in no shape to be on your feet." Quistis spoke, pulling the girl gently toward the large bed where she would help her down once again. Finally when the girl was at least sitting down again and resting with her back against the backboard, she moved away from her while asking, "Can I get anything for you? Water?"

"…Water will be fine," Rinoa answered weakly, staring upon a dresser at the left of her bedside. Without looking at Quistis, it was easy to hide her shame.

"Okay." Quistis made her way across the room, retrieving a jug of cool water from the table that was pushed against the wall to save room. She gathered a glass from the dresser beside it and filled it with water. "By the way, my name's Quistis. If you need anything else, just give me a call." She said as she brought the glass over to the ailing Rinoa. For some unexplainable reason, Rinoa was growing hotter by the second.

"I'll be sure to do so." Rinoa answered still wallowed up her shame. She knew that Squall despised the weak, and because she was too weakened to actually come for him sooner, he would particularly despise her even more.

"I'm glad to hear that," She smiled. "…I know it must be hard for you right now, but you need plenty of rest. Try not to think too much about what's happened today, okay? It'll only make you feel worse."

"…Thank you for your kindness," Rinoa muttered as she sipped the cool drink from her glass slowly and placed it onto the dresser top that she had been staring at continuously. What was worse than being despised by Squall? Perhaps he would hate her for now being both weak _and _a sorceress.

Quistis watched her a moment longer, not even have to wonder what was running through the girl's mind at that time, and then began to head for the door. "I'll be right back," She said as she exited the room before Rinoa could stop her. She closed the door with a thud.

"Quistis!" Her ears were met with a panicked voice as soon as she had closed the door, and she released the knob almost instantly. "Quistis he's back, but there's someone else with him!"With her eyes averted to the man who was approaching her, she hadn't realized that the door bounced back from its lock and cracked open slightly.

"What? Who is it?!" She asked, trotting toward the man as he turned down the hallway and ran. She was left with no other option but to follow him instead.

Outside, the sky was dark and the rain had finally settled on falling; only it had just began to pour now. Although she hadn't seen it, she heard the thunderous roar from the wild bellowing through the walls of their base. Quistis was stunned with the difference in the weather from that morning and the following evening. She remembered the sky being flawless that morning, promising a bright and peaceful day. It was quite remarkable that throughout the day it become somewhat the opposite, almost adding that there may have been some type of supernatural helping. It was as mysterious as how the girl's wounds had appeared and then vanished without a trace. With that said, anything from that moment on was a possibility to Quistis.

"This way!" The man leading her yelled as he led her toward the front of the complex. Before they reached the exit, the hall's doors burst open and three men entered from the dark night cloak of rain. Sprays of rain entered in from the door as they had entered, and other men had gathered from outside to follow the three, only to close the door tightly behind them. One of the men snatched the hood from his face, revealing himself as Seifer, the leader of their clan. With a motion of his hand he ordered the others, Mark included, to throw the captured man down onto the 

floor. The man, from Quistis' observation, seemed to be unconscious and remained that way even as he was flung to the ground by Seifer's men. The blond dropped a weapon down on the floor beside the man, and sighed in disgust.

The female covered her mouth with both hands and approached them quickly. "What happened?" She muffled loudly into her hands and then uncovered her mouth slowly, lowering them down to her sides. She pointed to the man dropped to the floor of the room, in a puddle of cold rain that drenched his clothes as well, thankfully, she hadn't seen any blood. "Who's he? Why is he unconscious?"

"Don't worry about that," Seifer answered, removing his wet coat and tossing it to the floor. Quistis realized Seifer already had his own weapon equipped at his side. The one on the floor was made differently, having a silver blade rather than the dark sleek steel of Seifer's. Seeing that it obviously did not belong to Seifer, she was left to conclude one thing.

Quistis knew without a moment to pass that the estranged gunblade belonged to the defeated man on the floor and was not part of Seifer's collection. Theirs had been a battle of pride, not of the danger of having their hideout found by some traveler taking the wrong road out of town. At this discovery she groaned and began to glare at Seifer. _What lack of responsibility! _He was setting the wrong example for their youngest men.

Seifer felt the heat of her glare from across the room, but his mind was more focused on their current situation.

Quistis knew he had purposely avoided her eyes, which could have meant one of two things. He either found faults in her leadership or he was secretly embarrassed about what he had done to the other gunblade wielder. The young blonde held in her breath and lifted her head when she realized he would never admit his shame. She would prepare herself to intake his criticism once more; however, nothing could hurt her stance when knowing that her leader suffered from some issues of pride.

"Mark told me about what happened today. He told me _everything_," He began.

She released a sigh at his words. He was one to lecture.

"…I only have one thing to ask." Quistis lifted an eyebrow at his words.

"…And what's that?"

Seifer grinned a moment before continuing. "…Why didn't you send for me sooner?" He had asked, finally facing her with that same grin spread across his lips.

Quistis looked from left to right, expecting something far worse. Quickly, she needed to change her reaction for the better of the men who all stood in that room, watching their second in command falter under the _charm_ of their leader. "I…" She began.

"Whenever…." He cut her off, not wanting to hear her excuses, "_Whenever_ a ship crashes in the realm of our hideout, I think it's safe to say that I should be informed of it doing so the second it hits the surface! What's worse is that you cast three lookouts out on the beach, all of them unarmed and all of them are just kids! What have you done about the wreckage?"He immediately jumped into his next complaint. "Is it still there?"

"…Yes, but there was no need to-"

"Call everyone out to the grounds! Nobody sleeps until that ship sinks tonight."

Quistis bit her tongue. She could state her reasons right then and there, but she thought of their safety first. They needed to be certain that their hideout remained hidden and that all traces of the crash site was hidden. Speaking about the unfairness of his actions would only stall the group and by then, their cover would be blown. On the other hand, Seifer loved his own voice as he continued in making it known that he was their leader and would always be. This time he turned to everyone and issued their orders.

"The good news is that I didn't hear any commotion while in Balamb, so it's more than likely that most of Balamb doesn't know of the existence of this crashed ship nor our hideout, but I still want to hide it. I want everything 

hidden before anyone has the chance of finding anything! So after we sink the ship, have everyone gather in the hall for a brief meeting! I found us a new target, and it's gonna take all of us to make it work. I want to make sure you're _all _well informed about what that baby is carrying. If my second had done her job _right, _we could've been halfway there by now. So let's move it!"

The others scattered about the room to spread the word to those who weren't present in the hall. Quistis, although somewhat hurt by his words, had pushed it all aside when remembering that he had to be sure his pride was not broken. Who knew what happened between him and the man on the floor. Who exactly _was _the man on the floor anyway? Quistis took this time to walk closer to Seifer. She needed to confront him about his actions and soon, before the others would believe his cause justifiable.

"You still haven't answered my question, Seifer." She said while stepping forward toward her leader. She made her question personal, since the others were busy spreading their orders. "Who is that man?" She pointed to the unconscious man dressed in black.

"Squall!!" Rinoa yelled across the room, with her hands pressed against the hallway's walls. She had followed behind after Quistis when hearing the news of someone's return to their base. The girl fought against her body and made her way to the door and had used the wall of the long hallway to reach Quistis and the men. There was a circle of men surrounding the two leaders, and Rinoa only saw the back of Quistis' head, the rest of her hidden by the men in the room whose backs were to her as they had gathered around them. She hadn't heard everything that was discussed, but she caught the last part of Seifer's orders to everyone. When the floor was cleared, she saw Squall face up on the floor and a weapon beside him. "Squall!!" She called out to him again, hoping he would wake up. "What have you all done to him?!" She made a weak effort to get near him, but collapsed out onto the floor, heat emanating through her being as her anger increased. All that time she was held captive inside of her cozy room, she could've been helping Squall to overcome whatever danger that had come against him.

"Hey!" Quistis called out to the girl whose name she still had not learned, making her way near as everything in Rinoa's eyes went black once again. The weakness of her body, the ever growing heat in her body, and the anger in her heart for Quistis' lack of protection ultimate caused her collapse to the floor.

Quistis reached her on the ground, touching her body with concerned hands. However, the moment her fingertips came into contact with Rinoa's skin she felt a rush of energy emerge from the girl. There was a moment of light in Quistis' eyes, and in that time a voice made its way into her conscience.

_Quistis…so we meet again._ It was a voice of a woman.

Qusitis drew back her hands quickly and looked behind at the men standing around the room. Maybe they too had seen and heard the same thing? The moment was brief to them, but for Quistis, it just as well may have been one glimpse into eternity.

"What's the matter?" Mark questioned his superior, seeing the worried look on her face. He was probably the only one to notice her sudden change of posture.

"Nothing…" She answered, "It's nothing." Her voice was distanced and dazed, yet her heart raced beneath her chest. "Mark, please bring this girl back to her room. Make sure she is comfortable and relaxed. I'll be right in after you."

"Right!" Mark answered, beginning his new orders. Quistis rose from the floor and faced Seifer once more. This time their eyes met across the room. He stared at her a moment longer, his eyes burning with concern of her _weakness_. Of all the others in the room, Seifer was the only one besides Mark to notice that something was different about her. Suddenly Quistis brought a hand to her chest and excused herself to the restroom. Seifer watched her until she was out of sight and then, turning to those loyal to him, ordered them to carry Squall to the chambers below. Unbeknownst to those around, they had started an internal war that Seifer would have liked to address, but he would first need to see to it that man, who had _almost_ defeated him out in the Alcauld Woods, be locked away for good. For now, he was more concerned about doing what was best for their hideout and little about her troubles.

"Seifer!?" Earl, the older lookout yelled as he entered the base, "I _thought_ that was you."

"Yeah, and things are going back to normal around here starting _now_."

"Whatever that's supposed to mean," Earl dismissed what believed to be Seifer's sarcasm. "Look, we've got major troubles outside. I think you better get out here and have a look for yourself."

"Just tell me what's going on…"

"Seriously, if I knew just what I was looking at I'd tell you, but I think you oughta walk out there and see for yourself. I'm gonna give Quistis the heads up too."

"Fine," Seifer said, walking passed Earl and to one of the other men who had accompanied him. "Show me what he's rambling on about."

"Yes sir." The younger scout said, and headed out of the doors. Seifer reclaimed his coat from the floor and dressed himself in it as he followed behind the swift youth. He followed them out through the woods surrounding the facility till they were in view of the beach. The blistering winds that angered the ocean's surface and pushed against the fiery remains of the sub-vessel hadn't amused their leader. He only folded his arms and hid a disgusted smirk beneath his hooded face.

"What was it again?!" He had to yell because of the loud rain, growing impatient with his own lookouts.

"Look there, out in Balamb's horizon! There's a fleet of ships there Seifer!"

"A fleet of _ships_?!" When his eyes focused on the port of Balamb and a little in the distance beyond that, he was able to see the ships that Earl and the others had indeed spotted from afar. "…Who the hell…?" he muttered.

"It couldn't be FH's boats since they're a bunch of fishermen. They don't really look like they'd carry anything else but fishing nets and harpoons. What's more, it's highly unlikely to see them gathered together like that. They usually send two boats if there's to be something of a fleet!"

"Don't doubt FH…" Seifer answered. "You'd be surprised at what those men are keeping away from the government. On top of that, they're no longer in jurisdiction with Galbadia. They don't really claim it, but they're likely to be under Esthar's law and protection for now, and I doubt Esthar would send so many of its fancy ships to poor 'ol Balamb. Not that anyone's seen an Estharian ship anywhere these days anyway… It's definitely Galbadia."

"But why would Galbadia come this way? Balamb is practically a vacation resort in the right season!" The younger scout asked.

"…There's no doubt in my mind…"

"You're not saying…"

Finally Seifer turned to the scout. "Forget about burying that crashed piece of junk, we have to start packing. Now!"

--

Quistis washed her face in the restroom's sink. After the water rushed over her skin, she stared at her reflection for a little while. She looked tired around the eyes, but retained her youthful residual self. She never thought of herself as stunning, but she was well aware of her looks. Maybe the only thing wrong with Seifer was that he saw her as a woman. He would always see here as a woman, a woman capable of handling her duties without being faltered by issues such as pride. Maybe he envied her for that reason? The excuses were running out and she had nothing else to think of him. No matter what happened, he had always found a problem in her work.

The more she stared into the mirror, the more she realized something had changed about her. Maybe it was appearance or maybe it was something hidden away in the back of her mind. She felt different. It had happened right 

after she touched the girl in blue who had collapsed. Soon after that, she heard a woman's voice, a voice that was vaguely familiar yet all too new.

Quistis suddenly remembered she had left Mark with the girl, who was possibly dangerous now. It was time she took her up back into her own care and relieve Mark of his duties for now.

Entering the room, Mark snapped his head in the direction of the door, dropping the hot towel on her face as soon as Quistis entered. When he realized it was Quistis alone, he relaxed and fixed the towel back onto Rinoa's forehead. "Quistis, you're back." He said finally, moving away from the unconscious girl. "What do you need me to do?"

"Go to Seifer, Mark. He'll give you your orders from now on." She had answered. Hearing her words, Mark was unsure if was meant to be sarcasm. He had felt guilty about telling Seifer all that Quistis had done in his absence, even though he tried his best to make it seem as though he was an intended weaponless lookout.

"…I'm sorry Quistis. I only told him about what happened only to-" He said, hoping to put an end to his guilt.

"Why are you apologizing? There are more important matters at hand, now report to Seifer immediately!" Her voice was stern and unfriendly, a mighty captain of many.

"Yes ma'am." He said, nodding his head and trotting to the door, stopping as he touched the knob. Facing her he said nervously, "Oh and E-Earl was looking for you. He didn't tell me why though. I guess he'll talk to you later. That's all." Mark finished and quickly exited. After his leave, Quistis sighed and paced toward the young woman's bed. She removed the hot towel and slowly moved her fingers toward Rinoa's forehead.

Her forehead was hot again, but the wounds did not return. She wondered what was happening to this young woman whose name was still unknown to her. But there was a notable aura about her that was emanating into Quistis' discerning heart. From there, she could listen to the girl's heart and hear the voice of her inner conscience and her soul. It was a gift, Edea had called it. Edea, the mysterious woman of her past, and a second mother Quistis had once told her. It seemed her past would make its trip to haunt her regardless of how high her resistance stood.

It had been years since she thought about Edea Kramer, the last sorceress of their time. The world knew Edea as the sorceress, but she had known Edea as a friend. The woman was like a mother to her, even though her birth mother was still alive. Quistis was the daughter of a traveling salesmen and his wife. Their lives were nomadic, having to pick up and leave town after town every month or so. She hated moving. It was her dream to just find one place and settle there, having a chance to start a life and build strong friendships; however, her father never allowed her to do so.

She spent her life becoming a travelling mascot for her father's store, often learning the trade of shop keeping from her parents even though she hated everything about it. Still, the girl kept quiet about her true feelings. If her father would've learned about how she truly felt, he would've died before his time.

On one of their sales trips, Quistis had gotten sick and was unable to ride with her parents for the month's journey. She was hospitalized and put on meds that would restore her to good health. Through the hospital, she had met Doctor Kadowaki and a very lovely younger woman named Edea, who was a registered volunteer, often spending her free time with the ill children in the hospital of Deling City. Quistis was just a little older than the other children, and found it difficult to talk to any of the children her age because of her upbringing. Edea saw her difficulties and befriended the young girl right away. Quistis found Edea easier to talk to since the woman reminded her somewhat of her mother or her ideal mother and she looked forward to spending more time with her each day.

One day, on an outside stroll, Quistis had injured herself while playing. The wound was too serious for Edea to wait for any assistance, so she took matters into her own hands and cast a magic spell onto Quistis' wound. The girl was frightened at first, but then she noticed how quickly the wound had healed and looked natural, bringing her injury back to normal. She was grateful for having Edea as a friend; however she was intrigued about Edea's power, and had begun to receive daily lessons from Edea about her sorcery power, although Edea never mentioned to her that she was a sorceress. Whenever the girl had asked about anything pertaining to the subject of how she had developed her power, Edea would laugh and say she had learned from a friend of her husband's, and then they would leave it at that, never to speak of it again for that particular day.

Finally, Quistis had made a full recovery and her parents came back to pick her up from the hospital. She shared a tearful goodbye with Edea. After this tearful goodbye, they would never see one another again. Somehow, word had gotten around about Edea's secret after someone had witnessed her magic from afar when she had healed Quistis' wound outside of the hospital, and she was later chased out of town by the soldiers of Deling City and killed. A few days later, Quistis' family came under attack by a band of thieves. After spending so much time with Edea, the girl thought up an attack spell and wiped out the group of men, but mistakenly injured her parents as well. Her mother died of the wounds after that day, and shortly after that Quistis was disowned by her father. He hated the girl for destroying his life with her ungratefulness and her practices of witchcraft. From that day forward, Quistis had been alone. She had managed to sneak her way onboard a buggy bound for Deling City in hopes of finding Edea again, but sadly found that the town had been parading the death of the sorceress.

She was sad, confused, angry and alone. Edea lied to her, didn't tell her that she was a sorceress. Edea wasn't there for her, and she died, leaving the girl behind; never to take care of her again. Edea had abandoned her. She never wanted to hear about her again. She even pushed aside her magic abilities, except if she really needed to use her power which was a rarity considering Quistis thought of every which way to make a situation work in her favor before resulting to involve her a stronger entity.

And so the years passed, and Quistis found herself, ironically, second in command to a band of thieves, only she never intended to hurt anyone, but had hoped to supply the defenseless with natural weapons instead of magic.

However, it seemed that maybe fate fancied her in a role of magic, now that another with the same talent had been sent her way. She watched as the girl opened her eyes for a mere second, probably trying to figure out where she had been once again.

To her surprise, the girl faced her with teary eyes.

"…Why are you so angry with her?" Rinoa spoke suddenly. The tears were a surprise to both women. To Quistis, her face was baffled and she stared at the stranger quizzically, wondering why she had begun to cry whilst Rinoa sat up to wipe the tears from her own face with the edge of her shirt. She had envisioned the woman's thoughts as she slept, dreaming of Quistis' past as the woman thought of it. The tears she had cried weren't her own, but rather the tears of someone else. She could not stop them from falling from her eyes. "Why are you so _angry _with her?" Rinoa asked again.

"I'm sorry?" Quistis asked, her heart feeling as though it would burst through her chest. How would a mere stranger know of her inner pain and sorrow?

"Edea…" Rinoa answered swiftly. "What?" She countered herself as if intrigued at how she would know of it herself.

"How do you know about her? Who are you?" Quistis' eyes quickly angered.

"I don't know how I know, I just do." The girl in blue answered, remembering not to speak of too much to the stranger. "Please…I'm sorry. I need to see Squall." She said, finally gaining control of her emotions.

"Tell me how you know Edea…" The blonde ordered.

"…I don't." Rinoa answered to the best of her ability. "…I really can't explain everything to you right now. But I really need to find Squall."

"Oh my god…" Quistis stood to her feet quickly, finally making sense of everything. She backed away from the girl on the bed. The faded wounds, the wild aura, the mind reading, and even having contact with Edea, it all came together perfectly. "You're…"

"Listen…. I mean you no harm." Rinoa rose from the bed slowly, outstretching her arms defensively. "My name is Rinoa. …I'm from Dollet. I just need to find Squall so we can go. …Where is he?" She begged again.

"…You're a _sorceress_," Quistis whispered. "…_the_ sorceress of our time."

The young sorceress purposely avoided her accusations. Her eyes became red and she felt them burning with her own tears. All of the pain in her throat and the frustration built up, but the strain of her inner struggle made itself visible with a strain in her voice. "…I'm trying to ask you where Squall is…"

"I'm sorry…I couldn't help myself." Quistis took a deep breath, finally calming down. "…Yes. Yes, I'm listening now. What was that you said?"

"Please…" The brunette's throat ached. Why had it been so hard for her to just listen for once?

"…If Squall is the man that Seifer took into custody, he was taken below; probably to one of the cells in the detention room. I can check on him later for you. He is your friend, right?" She had asked, and received a slight nod from Rinoa.

She looked upon the girl's frame once more. She was so young. It took her and a few others by surprise that she had known the unconscious man that Seifer had brought into their custody. It struck her as odd that the two of them were acquaintances. She hadn't got a good look at him, but she could tell that he was good looking and younger too, but what would his role be in travelling with a sorceress? Quistis smiled at the mysterious survivor. _If I'm right, she's a lucky girl…being able to travel with him like that._

"You're going to check on him?" Rinoa wiped her eyes, "If you don't mind, I'd like to go with you."

"Please stay here Rinoa, this facility is quite vast. The journey there would be inconvenient to you since you're still weak. You need more rest."

"I'm fine now!" Rinoa answered, touching her forehead and then her neck. "My fever is gone too."

"Even so, I can't take you down to where he is at the moment. We're in the middle of an operation."

"An Operation…? ….What exactly do you all do here?" Her curiousness began even while she was asleep, having experienced Quistis' thoughts about Edea and about her current lifestyle. She saw weapons and boats at sea, and all the faces of Quistis' platoon, but it was unclear as to what was going on. It was like a silent movie without its caption, running on Quistis' emotions alone.

"…This place is a shelter for those who are homeless or orphaned, like myself. We simply do what needs to be done to survive in this world. That includes buying and trading with nearby towns that are defenseless against monsters and sometimes troops."

"If that's all you are then…I don't understand. Why was Squall on the floor like that if we were in a crash together? I'm sure he was just as injured as I was!" She bit down on her bottom lip when Quistis chose to stay quiet. Rinoa released a sigh, "Could you give me an answer…" the girl groaned. "What were you all talking about?"

"…Those are questions that I _can't_ answer. I'll be sure to reunite you two when everything is under control and you're well rested." Quistis faced the door, walking toward it. "Oh, and your secret is safe with me."

"…How do I know that my secret is safe?" Rinoa's mind was boggled with even more questions. Like how, for instance, Quistis seemed eager to get down to where Squall was being held captive. What was she planning to do? "…Can I really trust you?"

Quistis stopped and faced Rinoa with a smile. She then outstretched her hand and after a moment, a sparkle of fire emerged from her palm and increased to a small flame in her hand. "You're not the only one with a deathly secret Rinoa. I suggest you trust me…as your life depended on it."

Rinoa backed away from Quistis until the comforters across the bed and the pointy edge of the dresser touched the back of her thighs. The blonde smirked and closed her hand, putting an end to the short lived fire spell and made her way outside of the room leaving being a stunned Rinoa with little else to do but wait.

--

Sergeant Wedge stepped through the hallow halls of his vessel, his arms folded behind his back as he made his way to the front cabin.

After hours of locating the only ship at sea to respond to their Sorceress warning, they had spent a treacherous night at sea playing catch-up to arrive at the ship's coordinates. To his surprise, the call turned out to be one belonging to one of Fisherman Horizon's many cargo vessels. Dobe's vessel, whose location had been picked up finally after it had suddenly stopped at sea, looked to be broken down having suffered multiple bumps and bruises to the body of its ship, the rest of the ship's damage was unseen, inflicted to most of its vital parts that would help in the vessel's maneuverability. The Sergeant immediately identified the ship's status as a result in coming within direct contact with Sorceress Rinoa.

He dismissed the captain's claims about it all being the doing of a sea creature and had also found two useful eye witnesses who were in direct confrontation with the young sorceress. With this confirmation, he knew they were the right path of the sorceress and that the entire world should know of her existence. Both witnesses were injured. One suffered an injury to his throat which was a notable mark of great sorcery, he was big in build and would probably intimidate the skin off another man's back with one glare, his injury caused the lost of his voice; the other suffered minor injuries, but looked as though he needed his mouth to ward off any who opposed him, strangely she hadn't seriously attacked him. Wedge would've liked to take the injured man whose voice still worked into his custody, but found he had warned out his welcome with the other FH men.

Soon after, the Sergeant set sails again, leaving the vessel without an offer to aid their damages, and headed to the town nearby that was within the reach of Dobe's vessel, that would only be reachable by the amount of fuel that was supposed inside the tank of the portable sub-vessel that had been stolen by the sorceress.

With Balamb ahead of him, the Sergeant grinned. They were making great progress. All he needed to do was listen to his Colonel's orders and hunt her down like a bloodhound before more people wounded up with wounds worst than the lost of their voices.

_--_

Quistis entered the cell that was already unlocked. There she saw him sitting against the wall, his hands shackled behind his back. She wondered why Seifer went through all the trouble to have an unconscious man imprisoned. Could her observation have been more accurate? Perhaps the two men had indeed been involved with a scuffle where Seifer's pride was threatened.

"Squall…" She called out to him as if she'd known him like Rinoa had, perhaps maybe even more.

"How long are you going to be in that dream land?" She asked him, making her way across the room till she was kneeling before him. "How long are you going to make me wait?"

The chained brunet threw his head back against the wall, his eyes remained closed. The forces within her gathered and tugged at his conscience, her true motive exposed….

* * *

_**The Authoress' Demise!! O.O**_

* * *

_Oh no, my beta Blue has major exams and I'm doing this all on my own! If there's anything seriously wrong with this chapter, you can totally blame me. I'll just cry to him later, lol. What's worst, I played a prank on him and sent him a joke chapter to get his mind off of things, but now I feel terrible about doing that. This is my official apology, I'm sorry Blue!! It will not happen again, I promise!_

_Everyone, thanks for reading. Thanks for the reviews everyone. The next chapter is not exactly completed, but it's passed the writing phases now, and all it needs is a good proofread and fillers, yep-yep! Hope this chapter wasn't too long for you! If any __of my stories chapters are terribly long, take breaks (if you plan to read them straight through) and break often. If you need to, grab a pillow and a blankie and some snacks and whatever else may float your boat. Oh and please tell me what you thought of it all, thanks again! Hope you liked it! _

_Please be kind and leave a review! Thank you and have a great day!_

_StardustRay Last update: 5-8-08_


	11. Jealousy

_**From the pits of an envious soul, a fiery path is ignited…**_

_**Jealousy**_

_**11**_

…_How did I get here? _

Squall stirred in his sleep, unconscious and taken prisoner to the bandit group. After a moment of registering the present facts, he was able to recall the events of that evening.

He had been walking, on his way to the hideout to check on Rinoa and make sure she was safe.

_I'm almost there Rinoa._ He thought to himself, assuring her that he would be returning soon.

Ahead of him the woods came into view. He knew Rinoa was somewhere deep inside, but getting there would be a tad bit tricky since he knew the structure was meant to be hidden. Finally he was a matter of feet away from the woods, the tall oak trees towered him like giants sent from heaven. He stared up at the face of the woods momentarily remembering their adventure in the Timber forest. A smile appeared. Inside he heard Rinoa's plea that they find another course, but his confidence got the better of him, forcing him forward and forcing her to follow. He hadn't given what happened that day any thought since it had happened. Not that it would benefit him much if he wanted to think on it or not.

Thinking was his biggest problem. He knew that if he spent too much time in thought, he'd emerge weakened and exposed to the darkness of his heart, creating fears of his past and plausible future. Squall had rather that door kept shut and decided to refrain from thinking about anything too seriously after that moment. Instead, he focused on actually walking into the woods before the rain came down. The sky grew darker by the second, and the shade from the trees didn't help any of it much.

The breeze rattled through the leaves, sending echoes and bird calls reverberating around him. The sounds of footsteps of animals and possible monsters scrambled ahead of him, most likely scurrying for shade or their next victims. Now that he was properly equipped for a battle, it seemed that he feared nothing, at least anything that was greater than the size of an Ochu. He rested his left hand on the handle of the Shear Trigger.

Suddenly a swift flash came out of nowhere, and before he knew it, Squall was blocking with his gunblade. He had clashed with the dark blade of a weapon in which Squall instantly identified as a Hyperion. He sensed the wielder's grin even from the dark. Sneak attacks were cowardly. He never admired anyone who had won a battle because of their methods of trickery. For that reason, the young man threw a warning attack into the other man's face. The attacker jumped back from Squall's counter-attack swing with a roaring laugh.

"So you _can_ wield a gunblade! And I was starting to believe it was all just for show. Or maybe you just got lucky?" He lowered his weapon at his side and pointed to the brunet who had remained in utter silence. "Why won't you say anything? You're a so called gunblade specialist, aren't you? Hah, that's a laugh. Since you think you can steal my gunblade and live to talk about it, I _won't_ hold back against you."

Seifer grinned once more and held his Hyperion up high, challenging Squall, "I suggest you do the same."

Squall was silent, taking this time to look upon his attacker. It was dark throughout the woods of Balamb. He could barely see four feet in front of him, let alone his opponent. It was only a second after the man's mouth opened to talk that he realized it was the same person from the Balamb shop.

"What's the matter? Got any last words?"

The brunet backed away from him to make a distance between them.

"Aww, are you backing down? You had the balls to steal from me, so don't mess it up now. Don't make me change my opinion of you _now_!" he chuckled "You should _never_ back down from your opponent. Besides, anyone else might not be as forgiving as me. But if you want to give up, be my guest. Just hand over the Shear Trigger while you're at it." He asked, but Squall hadn't bothered to respond. Since giving up his only blade was out of the question, he saw no other option left open to him but to fight. After a moment of studying the blond's position, he burst out in a full charge, heading directly forward only to clash blades with Seifer once more.

"Very _funny_," Seifer whispered as he focused his energy on pushing back against Squall's weapon. "Charge when your opponent is most distracted, huh…" He laughed in between breaths, "…That's cute, but I was expecting your move the entire time!" He said as he bypassed Squall's blade and knocked his own gunblade on top of the Shear Trigger causing the nose of the weapon to point toward the ground. Squall slid on rocks to regain his balance.

Finally finding his balance, he stood in his ready stance, the gunblade extended from his body and his legs spread apart. Seifer raised his Hyperion to the sky and cut through the air at Squall. He then assumed a sloppily done fencing stance and bounced from right to left before Squall, "So the old man totally ignored my bargain and gave you the gunblade instead. Fine…I can deal with that. But I'm no pushover! I haven't lost a battle yet and I don't intend to! See if you can keep up with me newcomer!" He yelled, holding out his hand and signaling for Squall to 'come on'.

The brunet remained silent. He never fancied taunting his opponent much. It was something he was taught never to do in a serious battle. More energy expends with talking, and by saving that energy meant more stamina for a lengthy battle against a tough opponent. Sprinting was the key to a successful outcome. With that in mind, Squall braced himself for his enemy's onslaught of attacks left and right of him.

Seifer leapt out and brought down his blade onto Squall's and they contracted sparks from the connection.

_**He's not alone. There are more of them in the woods… **_Griever's words were intercepted by Squall's conscience.

_I know that…. _Squall answered subconsciously.

_**You could easily defeat him and his men in a heartbeat. Why…why are you holding back?**_

_You once commended my decision to accept challenges, and now you're questioning my ways? Just because I have your strength doesn't mean I have to yield to it for all of my battles._

_**This man is out for your blood. You are fighting to the death, are you not? Why then would you choose to not apply my strength? It is foolish.**_

_I'm not helpless without you Griever. You forget that there was a trial before acquiring you in which I had to fight and defeat many. _

… _**You humans and your little pride.**_

_So it seems…_

Seifer's guardsmen watched from afar and became drawn in the battle of the skilled fighters. Their leader had been a man of great stature, and the only one in Balamb who could wield the gunblade. Sometimes his arrogance got the best of him, and no one wanted to challenge him, but they held great respect for Seifer. It was an unofficial rule of their gang: Anyone wanting to learn how to wield the gunblade would have automatically made a rival of Seifer.

Squall barred his teeth and pushed against Seifer's gunblade once more, and then returned with a gutter swing, a swing from the ground that ripped through the air and up to the sky. Seifer had stepped back to dodge the attack, smirking as if unafraid, "Not bad! But it's not good enough either!"

Seifer jumped into an attack on Squall of which the brunet skillfully avoided and brought his gunblade around to make a swift attack against him, almost ripping the gunblade from Seifer's hands. Seifer stepped back and smirked at Squall, catching his breath while doing so. He had then noticed how perfectly Squall's stance remained. The man had never taken a breath to ease his heart, never even became tired. There was definitely something different about him, Seifer knew that much, but he would never lose to anyone. Not even this stranger.

"Okay…one more." The blond said, holding out his gunblade again. Little had he recalled that it was the third _one more_ he had said in a row. The fight carried on. They made their way deep into the woods, fighting from the outskirts and making their way near the hideout. With a cry of thunder from above, cold rain finally broke through the sky and seeped down onto them from the leaves. With the rainfall the woods became wet and slippery, seeming to cool off Seifer's hot head and give cover and protection to the darkly clothed Squall. The battle grew intense. As it continued, Seifer found that he was beginning to believe that maybe this particular opponent was possibly undefeatable; however, he would not allow himself to give in to the self-consciousness which his mind produced. He would do what was needed to win.

Seifer allowed the stranger to charge at him, and he held out his blade. At the last moment, he slung his blade and it collided with Squall's, sending sparks all around them. Throughout the battle, he felt himself weakening, yet the blade of his opponents grew stronger, even worse, the gunblade that the stranger used was that of a much weaker model than his own. It was physically impossible that he could be losing to a mere beginner. At this battle, Seifer realized he had no right to call his opponent a beginner or an amateur. The man had appeared on their surface without a trace, why hadn't he ever heard of someone so powerful before?

Squall put his strength down into his gunblade, sharing that of Griever's might as well as his will to fight. Had he used his full potential, he might have severed the man's arm from his body. Against such a force could no man stand and Seifer felt his arms weakening against the strength and might of his opponent's attack. Squall finally utilized only partial of his entire strength. Before he knew it, the Hyperion slipped from Seifer's grasp and fell to the ground.

When a moment of realization of his defeat passed, Seifer sighed aloud and dropped to his knees in the muddy groundwater.

"…I…I lost." Seifer whispered half out of breath, where his eyes found the body of the Hyperion flat on the ground. "…I can't believe it…" He was ashamed; however defeat in this battle meant death. The fact that Squall did not follow through and kill him shamed him even more as it was _his_ challenge from the very beginning, his course of terms.

But then the man who had been collected all battle long had suddenly begun to pant heavily. Squall lowered his weapon and took backward steps. He eventually fell down to the ground, unconscious. All had happened so fast. He could feel nothing but the burning of the pendant against his chest, burning that familiar flame that flowed through his veins.

_Griever…have I been cast back to your shadow? Why can't I move? _

_**It is not me. Perhaps there is another force nearby that is causing our immobility.**_

…_And Rinoa?_

_**She is possibly experiencing the same factor since we are all connected. Haven't you learned yet?**_

_I understand… _

He sighed into the darkness. _…But is she alright? …Rinoa…_

"Squall…" Quistis said into the still air of the room.

"How long are you going to be in that dream land?" She asked him, making her way across the room until she was kneeling before him. "How long are you going to make me wait?"

He was a stranger yet he was familiar at once. Ever since she had spoken with Rinoa about this particular man, Quistis had become unnaturally attached to him. The others had not noticed her sudden transformation. She and Squall had never exchanged a word and yet she was drawn to him, unspeakably. She would never tell the others of her obsession with the unconscious man.

She brought a warm hand to his forehead, stroking his skin firmly until her hands slid into his hair. "…I know you're still searching for it… You picked the right year this time. Believe it or not, you're closer to finding it than you've ever been."

Quistis sat up from her chair and moved her face closer to his. When her lips were aligned with his ear, she smiled. "Arise," She whispered softly. His body responded immediately. She backed away until she found her seat underneath her once again.

Squall opened his eyes and looked at the mysterious woman who was kneeling before him, it wasn't Rinoa. She placed her hand upon his chest and grinned, "Soon your power will exceed that girl's…hers will deteriorate to your might" The blonde spoke, all the while his eyes had widened at her words, "…and I…I will be waiting for you at the very end of your long journey….Griever."

"Who are you?"

"Your mortal eyes can only see what is natural, but I see you as you are naturally and spiritually. Can't you do the same for me? …Or perhaps I was forgotten? I suppose it _has_ been a long time," she murmured, sliding her hand down to his cheek where he found himself unable to move underneath her spell, despite his chained limbs. "Very well, with your mortality comes limitation. For this, I forgive you this once."

"Am I _supposed_ to know who you are?"

"You sound like a lost little boy…or do I have the wrong person?"

"I'm Squall, _not_ Griever." He had answered, his anger getting the worst of him.

"Of course… but you don't need to lie to me silly boy. I can look into your eyes right this minute and know all your secrets," she smiled seductively as she closed the proximity between them and rested her head against his chest, breathing deeply and releasing a relaxed sigh. The smell of her blond hair mystified him, pulling him into a trance and he found himself relaxing into the pit of the wall. It seemed to put him into a vegetable-like state. "…To find what you're looking for requires some sacrifices."

He wanted to respond, but could not for the life of him. Perhaps he was put under a spell?

--

"Seifer, what do we do now?!" A group member yelled to Seifer, they had gathered outside in the pouring rain, but the rainwater was cancelled out by their water absorbing coats and equipment. "Why are there ships headed this way?"

"I think it's obvious! We've been found out, and that's why they've sent the army here. They don't know half the stuff we're sitting on, which is why we need to start moving some of the cargo boxes to the surface. I need some of you to move the fuel barrels through the mountain and load it up on the ship. Gather the main cannon we got from our last raid, and bring the other weapons, mostly the guns and such. For all the other big cargo boxes, we'll have to leave them behind and hope nobody finds them. Later, when the coast is clear, we'll come back for everything. But for now, we need to get out of here. Escaping is our main priority and we need to do it fast."

"What about the base? What if we never come back? You want us to destroy it or will you do it?"

"I have no intention of destroying the base, but if the going gets tough…I'll handle it. I just want you all to focus on our objectives. Let me handle the rest."

"Seifer," Another man started up, "you've called for us all, but Quistis is nowhere to be found."

"Quistis will be caught up to date once she's finished with her share of orders, so get your mind on the mission and not her! Again, we are moving the important cargo boxes up to the surface, and loading them onto the ship as fast as we can, am I understood?"

"Understood!"

"Alright then, let's get moving!" He said as they all ran around the base for another entrance that was obscure from the naked eye. Seifer took a deep breath and left his men to it. He then ran inside the base through the hall doors and hoped to locate Quistis before the others had.

Before he could get down to the basement level, he saw a girl in blue struggling down the hall. He stopped and put his hands on his hips.

"Whoa, where do you think you're going?"

"…Please don't stop me. She said she would find him for me, but she hasn't come back yet."

"You mean Quistis? …She went down there alone?"

"I guess so."

"…I see," He said quietly. "…Listen, we have a situation. I don't know what you're planning to do now, but we're not going to be able to stay here any longer. You're gonna have to come with us."

"Seifer," he was cut off by a younger lookout, "they've confirmed that it really _is_ Galbadia at sea!"

"Galbadia?!" Rinoa exclaimed, almost falling forward. Seifer moved in quickly and stopped her fall.

"I could've told you guys that with my eyes closed! Stop _confirming_ what I already know and help the others load up the ship!"

"Sorry Seifer, will do!"

"Well get to it!" He ordered them and then looked back at Rinoa. "…Sorry, it seems like you guys crashed here at the wrong time. They're on to our scheme."

"You mean Galbadia is after you?" She wanted to add _too_ to her question, but didn't want to initiate a game of twenty questions.

"We have our reasons" he sighed. "Look little lady, I have to help those morons with the shipment. Stay inside here until we're done and I'll have Quistis continue her watch over you."

"But we can't stay here…"

"What's the difference? Anyway, go back to your room." He ordered and then left her in the hallway, exiting the building instead of continuing to find Quistis. He disappeared into the darkness of the night and rain.

"…Squall." Rinoa whispered and turned to the dark hallway that would lead her down to where Squall was being kept. She resolved that Seifer was out of his mind if he thought she could be ordered around like one of his mindless servants.

--

"…_Squall_…_now_ I remember… _Squall_…." Quistis grinned and lifted her head to his eyes, "The boy full of rage…the boy wanting vengeance for the murder of those he loved. You hated war, but you embraced it if it meant bringing those who committed evil crimes against your family and friends to justice." She rubbed her hands over his chest and smiled. The woman lifted her face closer to his. "Such a strong boy…"

Rinoa had found the stairwell leading down to the basement level. It was small and had enclosed a pathway that smelled of damp stone. The stairway led to a tight hall where small cell rooms were lined on each side. Every so often, there would be a gap made between every three rooms down the hall where smaller cell doors were placed adjacent to one another, probably used to lock a prisoner up into solitary confinement. It was then that Rinoa wondered what type of building this mysterious group of people had vacated. Perhaps they had built it from scratch themselves?

Before she could make the next gap between the cells, she heard a muffling sound similar to a woman's voice that was coming from one of the closed doors in the hall. Slowly Rinoa made her way to the door, listening in first, but was unable to distinguish the words properly. She decided that opening the door would be for the best. She pressed her fingers against the cool steel of the door and pushed harder so that it opened up slowly and quietly.

"The rage from your mother's death has not left you." Quistis' voice immediately filled the void. "It is as if you have returned back from that very day. Griever feeds on that rage in your soul…and for that reason, you are the same Squall. How I have missed you…" She moved in closer to his face and placed her hand on his cheek, turning his face in line with hers. Without a struggle from him, Quistis pressed her lips against his.

Rinoa backed out of the door immediately. She was hurt, her heart wrangling with pain and betrayal. Quickly, she made her way toward the stairs, but found that the task was impossible to bear. Her only choice was to rest between the gaps of doors to gather her strength.

Quistis smirked when her lips were nearly inches away from his, the heat of their breath passing between them; however, she stopped before they could get any closer. Her mission was complete. "Sleep," she exhaled softly, it had emerged from her lips like a melodious tune.

His body immediately fell back into its unconscious state. The pendant around his neck rattled a bit and emanated a wild yellow before sending a shockwave of energy around the room. Unable to defend the force field released from his pendant, Quistis was struck and fell across him, her subconscious instinct forced her to grab onto his shoulders.

Quistis snapped out of her trance-like sleep and rose from his chest. He was still unconscious, but how she had fallen onto him became a mystery to her as well. Quickly the woman got to her feet, her quick movements woke him from his slumber.

"What happened?" She asked quietly, looking down into her hands and then to the man chained down on the floor. "…Something's not right about all this. Just now…it was that same feeling I had when I touched Rinoa."

"Rinoa…" He murmured from the floor, "…What about Rinoa?"

"…You must know about that girl...who she really is, right?" She walked toward him, "…Tell me, is it true?"

"She probably isn't that much different than you." He said, lifting his head with eyes that sparkled yellow. Seeing this, the young woman backed out of the doorway quickly and trotted down the hall. She had glanced behind quickly to make sure he wasn't following her. She grabbed at the clothing covering her chest tightly and made her way for the stairs stopping suddenly when she discovered Rinoa's figure sitting inside the gap between the rooms.

"Rinoa, what are you doing down here? It's not safe!" She said, making her way to the girl and helping her from the floor. Rinoa was too betrayed to retaliate and allowed the woman to help her up. "Quickly, we have to get back to the others."

Rinoa was quiet, but she did as Quistis suggested and together they found where the men had gathered their vehicles to transport the boxes through the manmade tunnel. It trailed through the mountain behind the woods and surrounded their base.

Seifer approached them slowly, his trench coat still dotted with rain sprays across it. The rain had finally ceased as they began their move, which he was thankful for. The heavy duty trucks used to drive underground to claim the boxes and over to the ship, their tires would not have held up with too much soggy ground. He only wished them to grab a few more boxes before they could leave the base for good.

"Finally, there you are! I need you to get to the ship and prepare for our departure."

"Departure? Why?"

"Didn't Earl tell you? He said he would…"Seifer trailed off for a second. "Anyway, there's a fleet of Galbadian ships headed this way. I think we messed up big last time, and they've found us. So we need to get out of Balamb for now."

"But why would they be after us?" Quistis asked, knowing clearly why a group of soldiers would be on their way to Balamb, and it wasn't for their measly group of thieves either.

"Look Quis, we don't have time to talk about this. Right now, the guys are loading up what they can and preparing to get us as far away from here as possible." He looked at Rinoa and then to Quistis, "Now that you two are out of there, we can get going. There's no point in lingering around here any longer."

"Okay, I understand. We'll go now. Come on Rinoa!" Quistis yelled and made for one of the large vessels that would be passing through the tunnel.

Rinoa followed behind her mindlessly, her thoughts only reflected the moments that had passed before. Quistis was so beautiful. She could easily have any man she desired. Blonde hair, blue eyes and a perfect smile, it was no wonder that Squall hadn't pushed her away. If it were her, he wouldn't have let it get so far. He probably considered her as a child anyway.

On top of that, her looks would never measure up to Qusitis'. Rinoa grumbled for a moment realizing her mind had replayed what had happened for far too long. She felt weird. It was unusual behavior for her. Rinoa was never the jealous type, but somehow ever since her meeting Quistis, she had become aware of her own looks.

Maybe she was overreacting? Her feelings were openly sensitive suddenly, almost as if being manipulated by some unseen force.

No… Nothing else could possibly get that much of her control. It should've been the other way around, meaning that she was fully aware of her own emotions and had full control of everything that had happened thus far. She knew Squall wanted Quistis.

For an entire moment Squall was there, staring into her eyes, wanting their lips to meet. The woman hadn't even been in the same room with him for long and he was charmed enough to kiss her without contest. She, on the other hand, could barely get close to him without hearing a sigh or a plea for his space. He would probably never look at her in that way simply because she was a sorceress….

An ugly sorceress unwanted by him…unwanted by everyone. She was possibly the cause for Galbadia's fleet on the move, wanting to get rid of her even though she stood innocent in her own eyes, but they wouldn't tolerate it because she was a sorceress. She was a poor, pathetic sorceress…and not some blonde who was charismatic and beautiful, and not to mention the second in command to a group of men with a very mysterious purpose.

The woman stopped in the midst of her aimless running and closed her eyes.

"Rinoa!" Quistis yelled as she had looked back, stopping to see what was the matter. "We have to go, come on!"

The girl took a deep breath and opened her eyes slowly, purposely avoiding Quistis at all costs.

"Come on Rinoa!"

Rinoa lifted her palm toward Quistis and shook her head slowly. "….No," She said, and immediately the ground began to shake furiously.

Quistis lost her balance and fell to the ground. She stared at Rinoa, who had remained in place and now lowering her hand with her face downcast. The girl had turned toward the beach and walked forward slowly.

"What are you doing Rinoa?" Quistis questioned the girl, marveling how she could walk even though the ground quaked uncontrollably. The men ran out of the tunnel as the ground roared, hoping to escape before the walls crashed in on them. Some of them ran out the opposite end and took refuge on the ship that was located on the sea at the mountain's back.

Inside the base Squall felt the ground trembling. He watched as the things inside the room tossed and toppled to the floor. He wondered what was happening outside. It seemed the lethargic feeling he had been having since that evening finally passed and his strength level was back to normal. When the ground shook more violently, he heard a voice call from within.

_**Why are you waiting to be rescued when you're more than capable of doing it yourself?**_

The young man sighed. "No. …Something's wrong with Rinoa."

Using all his strength and might, he pulled his arms apart to break the chains around his wrists. Finally when he was loosed, he rose from the ground and made his way out into the hallway.

Rinoa finally stopped walking and grabbed at the ring on her necklace. _Squall…_

The ground cracked and split down a large boulder that was hidden beneath tall grass. It burst open and collapsed down into the ground where fire and molten lava emerged.

Rinoa finally came to her senses and backed away from the scene quickly, scared for her life about the speed that the lava traveled. Quickly, she made her way back to the base to find Squall. Seeing her, Seifer followed behind her.

"Seifer!" Quistis yelled and ran to him as he followed Rinoa inside.

The lava boiled over and shot out to the sky then fell back to the earth and raged quickly through the woods and near the base. The other men climbed upon the mountain side for shelter as the lava quickened beneath them.

Inside Rinoa remembered where Squall was being kept and opted to reach him in time, but she was stopped by the one Quistis had called Seifer. "I don't know what you did…but you're coming with me." He said, slapping his hand on her shoulder."

"What?" She said, facing him with a look of dismay.

"Stick with me for now." He said, and reached down to the floor to retrieve Squall's gunblade from the floor where they had left it earlier. "Let's go," he said, turning around for the doorway again.

"No!" Rinoa screamed, "I'm not going with anyone! Squall is—"

"Seifer!" Quistis yelled as she burst through the door, "there's lava everywhere, we need to get out of here."

"What about the others?"

"Most of them found higher ground, but those who didn't…."

"Dammit!" He yelled and balled up his fist. "Looks like there's no time to waste… Forget about the cargo, we just need to leave now."

"Yeah" Quistis agreed and they ran down the back hallway. Rinoa ran behind them and stopped at the second stairway that led down to the basement knowing that Squall was being held prisoner there. Quistis stopped running and looked back, "Rinoa there's no time to save him. The lava's going to rush through this building! Think about your _own_ life for now!"

Rinoa charged at Quistis and envisioned herself slapping the woman's cheek, although in reality she stopped only inches away from Quistis' face. "I am not leaving without Squall! You don't know anything about him!" the girl yelled with tearful eyes, "You have no right to just leave him behind!"

_I can't believe he would choose a person like you! I didn't think he was so shallow. _

Quistis stared into Rinoa's eyes. "…Are you sure he's just your friend?"

Rinoa made a look of disgust at Quistis when she realized the woman's words. Her eyes fell to the floor shyly and her cheeks reddened.

_Squall? …I'll be lucky if he still wants me to tag along after all of this._ _I can't believe I got so jealous! I'm the one who caused the lava to break through the surface… I'm putting people's lives in danger again! I just need to find Squall. He'll know what to do._

Seifer sighed, "Well…This is his weapon." He lifted the gunblade and watched as she walked toward him to grab it. "…If you two make it out of this, tell him I said I'd like a rematch."

"Seifer!?" Appalled, Quistis raised her hands suggestively.

"He didn't go down that easily," he added. "Let's go Quis, time's running out." Seifer said as he walked ahead toward the back exit. Rinoa watched as their figures disappear deep within the facility. Her hands now bore the heavy weight of the gunblade.

"…This is a gunblade? Sure is heavy… I wonder if…if it's the one he's looking for?"

Realizing that time was against her, she stopped her questioning and headed downstairs to find Squall's cell. The door was wide open compared to last time. It seemed that the earthquakes had done more damage than she might have thought. All she wanted was justice for all the pain and suffering the ship bandits had caused, but it turned out worse than she could ever imagine. To top it all off, the room was now empty with pieces of chains on the floor.

"Squall?!" She called out to him, making her way down the hall.

"Rinoa..." She heard his voice echoing down the hall and then saw his figure standing at the end of the long hallway.

"Squall! You're okay!" She ran toward him quickly, but realized something was different about him. At this realization, she immediately discontinued her run and examined him closely from afar. The hallway was dark. It smelled of rust, dampened stone and mold. The girl summoned every ounce of her courage to continue her walk toward him. Every step toward him made her insides squirm. She was silent at first, but she attempted to maintain her composure, "There's…There's no time to lose. This building is about to be destroyed by fire, and lava will melt this entire bottom level. I came back to get you so we can escape together."

He was silent. He stood at the end of the hallway with his hands at his sides. It was then that Rinoa realized his eyes had begun to glow yellow again.

"Squall!"

"…He's here."

The ground shook again knocking Rinoa off of her feet. The power was lost inside the building and the lights that lit up the hallway all went out simultaneously. "Who's…?" Rinoa muttered within the darkness and quakes.

All was silent both underground and above. The sky was dark and the night air was filled with smoke and ashes.

With a roar almost as menacing as Griever's, a beast emerged from the ground with the heat of lava. The land shook and caved in at some areas. Men, clinging to the rocks of the mountain for survival, fell to their deaths landing in pits of lava as the beast burst through from the fiery pits. Others clung to each other and any piece of stable rock they could find. Seifer and Quistis had climbed to the opening of the mountain and watched the mythical beast blow fire from its mouth. He called for all those who were able to follow in their tracks. However, Quistis was mesmerized by the beast's power. She watched as fire gushed from its paws and flamed the grass and the trees of the woods surrounding them. A river of lava poured out from the giant hole in the ground and rushed to the base where it continued to crackle with the grumbling of the ground.

Down in the hallway, Squall ran towards Rinoa until reaching her and grabbed her arm. He then made his way to the stairs and burst through the large iron door that had been shut behind Rinoa to stall the lava's path to ensure the 

safety of their unreached treasures. With Squall bursting through the door, the lava sprang up and around them and Rinoa realized they had soared through the ceiling and to roof of the shelter. At the top of the roof, Squall placed Rinoa down and scanned the area for his opponent, the demon from hell known as Ifrit.

"Squall!" Rinoa cried, barely able to comprehend what had just happened. She clung tight to his gunblade and his leg as the sparks from the violent gushing lava emerged with Ifrit's consent. "What is that?!" She asked, pointing to the giant fire being who breathed boulders of flame toward the woods surrounding its cave home, which had eventually spread to the surrounding lands and the coast beyond that.

"He is Ifrit. …The one who had blinded us since we came into contact with this land. His spirit manipulates fire, however, he senses _your_ hate and channels that hate with its own energy to make him stronger. Such is the trait of a guardian force…a trait that I too have been doomed to carry."

"He uses _my _hate?"_…Jealousy too? …I guess that explains why I got so mad when she…._ She paused and looked down at the fiery land, focusing her mind on more important matters. His words were curious ones, especially the bit about the traits between the guardian forces and how Squall had included himself as one. "…Squall?"

"No." He looked back at Rinoa, the wind gusting through his hair. She swallowed the lump in her throat and looked down at the gunblade in her grasp to avoid his eyes. "…_I_ don't need that piece of metal to fight."

"Griever…" Rinoa whispered teary eyed, she knew he had overtaken Squall again. "I don't know what to do anymore… They said that the Galbadian Army has ships on its way here and now _this." _Lifting her eyes from his gunblade and to the field of flames before them, "Look at all this fire! Everything's going to burn up!"

"…Don't despair," He spat as his eyes returned back to their usual blue. "It's a waste of time and energy." He held his forehead with his left hand and gave a light sigh of pain, "Griever's right, Rinoa." He spoke weakly. "Despairing about the situation will only strain you, and make you weaker."

"Squall? You're back? What just happened?" She inquired, standing to her feet to see about his forehead.

"The pendant…" He muttered, reaching his hand for the Griever symbol dangling on his chest. "Look, I can't explain…there's no time anyway."

"You're right. We have to do something then, Squall! I feel partly responsible for that thing being here now! …There isn't enough time and people could die… The lava's travelling fast and this place will go up in flames by then."

He looked at her, staring into her eyes, "…Trust your own instincts; you'll know what to do when the time comes. Just because I'm supporting you doesn't mean I have to watch you at every second, though. So be careful."

She had stared back into his for a moment longer, and silently they reached an agreement. She would do her best knowing he was there to support her. If she had his support, nothing would stand in her way. Rinoa nodded to him quickly and released an unsteady sigh. "Okay," She answered, moving her eyes to the scene of chaos across the fields and then down to the gunblade caught between her fingers.

"He said it belongs to you. Is it the one?" Rinoa lifted the gunblade to him with both hands. "You said we'd split when you found it…"

"…It's not the Lion Heart, but it'll have to do," Squall took the weapon as he heaved a great sigh. "…The Lion Heart won't be an easy find. A weapon like that deserves a great intrigue… Let's go."

"Wait!" She stopped him, "What do I do? You don't expect me to just jump head first into this lava, do you?!"

Squall grinned faintly, "…Use your imagination." With that spoken, he faced the fiery plains while closing his eyes and gathering his breath. Rinoa realized his gunblade had begun to glow white as white ripples swirled about the blade. It had then begun to extend into a long slender blade as Squall lifted it to the sky. When the blade almost reached heaven, he landed it down to the ground, striking through the lava until it struck Ifrit who physically stood yards away from them. Rinoa was mesmerized at his power. The weapon had not only struck Ifrit, but created a pathway through the lava in which Squall leapt down from the roof and onto the ground and made his way toward the fire demon by foot.

Squall ran from the shelter and out to the plains of Balamb with Rinoa trailing behind after him, where he came face to face with an incoming ocean of molten lava and fire. Standing at the very end of this fiery plain was none other than the Guardian himself, Ifrit: the spirit manipulating fire. The beast stood, his bulky frame sizzling in maroon and orange fur. Its ear pierced with a searing gold earring. And he looked upon the land, his demeanor of that like some underground ruler. He was pleased with his outcome, moments away from achieving his version of paradise above land: a world covered in fire.

Rinoa was terrified of him. To his disadvantage, Squall felt her fear coursing through his veins. He would not partake in that fear. He wouldn't dare to stand and have her indulge in that fear either.

"Rinoa, don't be afraid!" Squall encouraged her, taking to his battle stance at the forefront of the fire river. "Listen to me! Don't doubt yourself for a second, that's the worst thing you can do right now!" He had turned to her yelling. "Fire has two weaknesses: that's ice and water. You can cancel out all of these flames if you just meditate on it…"

"What?!" The young woman retorted.

"There are other people at risk here, so hurry up!" Squall snarled, his eyes trailing from hers, and over to the mountain where the men dangled for life, and then he rested his eyes on their opponent. "You wanted me to trust you…" He added.

_Trust me…? Squall, do you really…_

Squall lowered his gunblade and faced her with penetrating eyes. He had never stared at her before for as long as he did in that moment. When Rinoa finally understood that he had meant his words she took a deep breath.

Rinoa closed her eyes and dug deep within herself. Before she knew it, a whirlwind of cool air began flowing around her. Taking a little time to concentrate, she remembered the day out in the fields of Dollet where her body had been taken over and had released unmatchable power from within. Regaining part of that discipline, she channeled the ice energy around and shot it forward where Squall had begun running.

Just as he made contact with the Lava, a bridge of frozen solid ice crafted underneath his feet and protected him from the blistering fluids. Although the bridge was effective enough to carry him over to Ifrit, it had not created a barrier to the fire surrounding them. Rinoa, standing in awe at her own mystical power, realized she would need to do more than create the bridge if she were going to help Squall in this fight. Not only that, but what about the rest of the fire? How was Squall going to defeat him without her ice magic when the rest of the land was still in flames? He had charged in to battle Ifrit personally, and left himself vulnerable to any other attacks. How could a gunblade protect him from fire and lava?

Still, none of her questions seemed to interest Squall. He charged in fearlessly, seeming to know his enemy and set out for a victory regardless of the circumstances. With Squall so confident in his own skill and technique, Rinoa pushed her worries aside and focused her attention to the pathway of lava that was continuing to destroy the land. At the same time, Squall was now within attack range of Ifrit. The beast laughed to himself and ruffled up some flames and smoke around, a few rims of fire began with him at their center and then expanded around him quickly.

Squall dragged his gunblade from the ground where pale light began to shine from its edge. With the weaker gunblade, he was able to perform a perfect _Rough Divide_, splitting Ifrit's defenses into two. The fire dissipated as smoke in the air and evaporated. Allowing no chance for him to create anymore rings of fire, Squall sent another wave of his divide toward Ifrit. The beast held up its arms defensively, its biggest advantage was its strength and immunity to any flame attack. Squall barred his teeth when the beast snarled at him standing a whopping seven feet over Squall's own height; however, Squall hadn't allowed the beast's height to stir fear in his heart. He would never falter under Ifrit's presence. Instead he fought as if driven by an unseen force, a force greater than any magic spell to come against him, his pride.

Rinoa examined the lava field and the ocean surrounding the continent. "I have to do _something, _but _what?!_" She questioned herself aloud. _**…Leviathan's Scales can penetrate any fire, no matter how deep the flame. You saw how the ocean wielded to his command. Summon him forth…**_ "Griever!?" Rinoa called to him, but received no answer. "Please! Why do you keep disappearing like that! I need you!" She yelled, looking around herself.

For a moment, she wanted to continue to call Griever so he could help her step by step to solve the problem, but when reality set in of the heated flames growing against her skin Rinoa knew she would need to try to get in touch with Griever at a later time. For now, she faced the sea and allowed her heart to call out for help. Just as soon as her eyes closed, there was a distress vibe released from her inner spirit seeking its desired guardian force.

_Leviathan,_ her heart cried, and with its name spoken, all the waters of the ocean sprayed overland.

The water came first, breeching the lands with not so violent waves. Then suddenly from the sea, the serpent emerged. Its body was capable to hover above ground as well as it could tear through the tides of sea. Leviathan successfully passed a tsunami of water over the molten lava and put the searing plains to a rest. The scales from Leviathan froze the lava in place just before the water finished the job and pushed everything back into the earth. With the sizzling of forgotten lava and fire put to an end, so had Leviathan's spirit. Rinoa saw its spirit fading back into mere nature before falling softly into the ocean spray again. The girl's heart relaxed.

"…I did it." She murmured into her palm, falling to her knees on the warm ground. "…Squall was right… All I have to do is trust my own instincts…" Rinoa smiled, "…I can't believe it." Suddenly the young woman had forgotten to check up on Squall since she'd put the flames to ease. "Squall!" She yelled out, rising to her feet and running through the slabs of hot mud left behind by the fiery lava moments ago. Rinoa stopped her pursuit and looked ahead when realizing it was too much mud ahead of her to get through. When she looked ahead of herself, she feared that Squall was in danger of his life.

Although she had cleared the land of lava, there still remained a radius of lava around Squall and Ifrit that was enclosing in on them by the second. Rinoa gasped aloud and pushed through the mud to get closer to their battle.

Even holding the advantage of a body that wouldn't perish over time, he could still feel the heat of the flames simply because they were inflicted by that of another guardian. The proud young man wouldn't admit it, but he felt like he couldn't last much longer against this beast. Ifrit growled again, folding his arms,_ "Fool! If you can't kill me, don't even bother challenging me!" _As soon as he had spoken, he charged in full speed with a punch that knocked Squall back into the air.

Rinoa, running through the mud in full haste, saw Ifrit's direct blow to Squall. She saw Squall fall back lifelessly toward the hot lava. "Squall!" She screamed, reaching out but feeling like she had just missed him. "No!"_ I can't do anything! He's going to die! I need help! I can't move fast enough on my own--_ And then she remembered how easily his voice had come through to her when she was in trouble, she felt it only necessary to return the favor, "Griever!!" She yelled from the top of her lungs and equally as loud from the pit of her soul.

The pendant on Squall's chest thumped once, and in that moment, his heart was opened, allowing Rinoa to entrust her strength to him. With her inner power and his strength combined, his body was restored. Just as Leviathan's body had withered into the sea, so had Squall's, lest he had returned in a form Rinoa recognized, the first being she had encountered when her world fell into chaos: Griever.

Griever's pallid spirit wings spread from his back and the maroon crown stretched from his skull and out, along with the blades on each of its elbows and arms. The beast snarled, its smallest roar was louder than any of Ifrit's mightiest roars. Greiver emerged flapping its wings above land and looking down upon Ifrit. Its body compared to Ifrit's was more than twice in build and even more deadly. The lion's great beard swayed with its own wind, and its pale beard shamed the orange of Ifrit's. Both beasts stood in each other's way, Griever looking down at Ifrit.

"_So you've come." _Ifrit muttered underneath his breath, _"You hide behind the flesh of a mere human."_

_**You are gravely mistaken, for it is I whom that human hides behind.**_

"_Do you enjoy deluding yourself Griever?" _Ifrit folded his arms.

_**On the contrary, what makes you believe you can defeat me?**_

"_Because your presence here means that the Sorceress is nearby, is she not?"_

_**Correct. For us to be here now, means the sorceress has indeed resurfaced.**_

"_Then when she has witnessed my power, she will regret ever making you into her guardian!"_

Rinoa stood watching the two beasts from afar.

Behind her, the Galbadian ships had made their way to the town of Balamb but had changed course once they saw the fire that became of the once beautifully tropical land. The fire had not reached the town itself, but very well neared it. And with another on pour of flames beginning now, they feared the people's lives were at stake.

It was definitely a sure sign of the sorceress.

Wedge glared at the direction of the fire's source and ordered a direct attack against her. He would not lose his target again.

* * *

_**Author's Corner.**_

* * *

_I really don't have much to say this time. Hope everyone's enjoying the story. Please let me know what you thought of this chapter; be it bad or good. I don't mind. Some encouragement helps. I felt it could've been better, but oh well. We'll see. Thanks again for reading. Btw, my beta's still not in action, so really, any feedback would be greatly appreciated._

_StardustRay Last Update: 8/13/08 --See that, you put your mind to something, and it works out in the end. I'm getting faster. (Only, I hope it's worth it...)_


	12. Rage

_**Be wary of vile emotions, for the seeds you sow in rage shall you later reap in poison.**_

_**Rage:**_

_An evil entity reborn_

_**12**_

"_So, you've come," _Ifrit muttered underneath his breath. _"You hide behind the flesh of a mere human." _

_**You are gravely mistaken, for it is I whom that human hides behind.**_

"_Do you enjoy deluding yourself Griever?" _Ifrit folded his arms.

_**On the contrary, what makes you believe you can defeat me?**_

"_Because your presence here means that the Sorceress is nearby, is she not?"_

_**Correct. For us to be here now, means the sorceress has indeed resurfaced.**_

"_Then when she has witnessed my power, she will regret ever making you into her guardian!"_

_**You wish to dethrone my rights as the ultimate guardian? **_Griever merely laughed. _**This sorceress will never be kept by one who is power hungry. Your intentions are futile.**_

"_Belittle me if you will Griever, but I sense that your power is weakening by the second. The pendant around the neck of your human holds back your true power. Have you not yet realized such handicap? How can you curse Hyne at your banishment and then adorn yourself in jewelry given to you by her descendants? You should know to never trust a sorceress' gift!"_

Griever would never admit it, but Ifrit was right all along. The pendant had indeed become troublesome as long as Squall continued to wear it. With the pendant's power diminishing overtime, it allowed Griever to become whole once more, but only with Rinoa's aid. Because of her emotional ties to it, who knew what would happen to him after he would successfully defeat Ifrit. Should she restore Squall's rightful appearance and allow the beast to disappear into the man's thoughts from whence he came, or would he continue his role as her guardian as he had envisioned which is to become the supreme keeper of their now shared body, only to die ignorantly of exhaustion sometime later because of the pendant's side effects? The choice and the answer both were out of his reach.

At this time, the beast grinned and landed to the ground atop a stone covered in flames.

Witnessing Griever maneuvering in his fire as if unaffected on any level had sent Ifrit's rage soaring into another dimension. He hated Griever. He hated being one to toy with. Ifrit roared louder than the ferocious cries from the ocean's current, or the howl of the lava's eruption from the ground beneath his feet. The anger in his heart and soul enraged within and caused the fire to rise up and strike at Griever, who continued standing before him. This time, he folded his arms and created a shell-like barrier around him to halve the fire demon's magic attacks.

Rinoa, watching the two beasts from afar, had observed Griever's barrier and cast the same for her person, protecting her from the little flames that spurred from their beginning battle.

Behind her Galbadian ships were making their way toward the town of Balamb, but changed course once witnessing the fire that sprawled across the originally tropical land. The fire had not reached the town, but very well neared it. And with another out pour of flames beginning now, they feared the townspeople's lives were at stake.

A raging fire with the power to engulf the land whole: It was definitely a sure sign of the sorceress.

Wedge glared at the direction of the fire's source and ordered a direct attack against her. He would not lose his target again.

Seifer and the others emerged from the mountain and headed to the shoreline, certain it was out of the way of danger. They had successfully reached out to most of the stragglers of their men and led them to the safety of a ship stowed away behind the mountain and out of sight. The area had been blocked off and protected by their lookouts every day. If ever something were to arise, or if their base were found out, they could escape and flee the land swiftly with a ship already packed in case of emergency. Seifer would have pushed the self destruct button in the shelter, but the fire and lava did the job for him as far as he could tell.

"What the _hell _is that thing?" The blond retorted, pacing the deck with Ifrit's roar in the background.

Quistis' stomach grumbled nervously at the sound of the howl again. "…I don't think I wanna know," she said while removing her reading glasses from her face.

"We've got to see what's going on!" Seifer yelled, walking the deck of the cruiser, a battle cruiser to be exact. Unlike most of his belongings, the cruiser was something that had been rewarded to him from a client in his past. He regarded it as a successful mission.

"Seifer, are you sure that's a good idea?" Quistis beckoned, "The men look exhausted, so it might be best if we steered out of harm's way for now."

"I don't know about you, but I wanna know what it is that we're running away from."

"It's too _dangerous_!" She yelled at her companion. "If we get close to _Ifrit's _attacks, we'll _all _be killed!" She blurted out suddenly, but had then brought her hands over her mouth with a gasp, shocked at her own words.

"…Ifrit?" He questioned, walking toward her. "…What do you know about this?"

"…I don't know anything. I don't even know why I just said that, so don't look at me like that." Slowly uncovering her mouth, she turned away from him ashamed. Her eyes fell toward the engulfing sea, looking to the violent waves for solace. After a moment taken to gather her thoughts once more, she spoke again. "…All I'm saying is that nothing good can come from getting close to that monster. And the others, what if they're still alive…? I don't even want to think about seeing someone we've left back there and not being able to help them right away." Finally she faced him, "If we have to go back, let's try to save everyone who was left behind." She looked among the men worriedly, "…I don't see Mark anywhere."

"…Earl's disappeared too," Seifer answered softly. "...Alright." He swallowed his breath hard and faced the men who had all looked upon them weakly. "To everyone who's strong enough to go, once we dock at the coast you're coming with me to grab the other survivors! The rest of you will stand guard on this ship, and work the guns should Galbadia arrive here before we get back!" He turned to face his second in command and lowered his voice, "Quistis, you'll stay with everyone else and keep them out of harm's way. I'm counting on you."

"Got it," She answered sternly. "…Let's move carefully."

When everyone was ready to take action, they sailed the battle cruiser to the south of the island. However, they would find the land covered in flames and smoldering ashes. There was no way Seifer and the others could jump from the ship to rescue those who had been left behind. The fire trimmed the mountain's edge and left those who were still there clinging for dear life stranded from everything, left to wait for a fiery death. Their only hope was the light from the mysterious beast that countered Ifrit's attacks and pushed back against the furious fire.

"Is that…?!" Seifer gawked from the cruiser's side, pointing at Griever as it had lifted itself from the ground with crimson wings and charged into a full attack toward Ifrit.

Ifrit crossed his arms and breathed out for defenses while Griever's red blade scathed through some of the orange beast's thick skin. Ifrit's skin was able to hold up against most swords and some of the sharpest blades in the world, but Griever's had made him bleed slightly.

Griever's pearly wings landed him back to the ground where Ifrit did not hesitate to send a scorching flame in his direction. The beast bravely knocked the weak fire wave away with its left arm and then the right until it was able to breathe its dark mist that choked the life of the fire surrounding Ifrit, and then finally choking Ifrit himself. With Ifrit temporarily disabled, he was able to knock the beast off of his feet with a swift shoulder charge toward him. Griever thrust the beast into the wall of the mountain and crushed him through fire and stone. At this motion, Ifrit roared and hit the ground with both hands where it encased Griever and everywhere around him into a sphere that sunk into the ground first.

Ifrit's blaze burned all around Griever and then into the sunken ground until it caught to flame, Griever jumped back out of the circle wondering what the other guardian being was planning to do. Ifrit then gathered up all his strength and unearthed a ball of fiery earth that he tossed up into the air and followed viciously. Griever barred his teeth, glaring up at Ifrit who had forced his way at the top of the boulder and volleyed the sphere of _hellfire_ back to the ground with a raging spike. Griever calculated the landing of the fireball and realized it was not aimed at him but at a distant Rinoa standing on the side bounds of their battle perimeter. The girl was too fixated with the ships, flames, and Griever's health to notice the attack.

Quickly the guardian charged over to an unsuspecting Rinoa and grabbed her up before the ball of flame could reach her in time. He continued to fly as Rinoa climbed around his side to see why he had grabbed her suddenly.

"What was that?!!" Rinoa yelled looking as the burning sphere smoldered the surface, burning its way back into the ground. It continued to sink into the dirt. When Ifrit saw that his target had fled, he snarled and leapt after Griever who was busy landing Rinoa further away from their fight. Ifrit jumped on Griever's back and bit at his shoulder. Griever flung him off quickly and fired his dark mist upon him, causing the other beast to writhe in agony.

After a moment, he became silent and motionless on the ground. Rinoa sensed that Griever was weakened, but she could find no trace of it as he had stood there beside her.

"…Griever, thank you for rescuing me again."

_**There is no need to thank me. It is simply my duty.**_

"But I _want _to thank you, so please don't take that away from me." She glanced at the beast first, and then walked near him to place a hand on his ailing arm. The beast released a sigh, allowing her to see that he had indeed been injured.

"Griever…"

"Wait a minute…_Wait a minute_! Isn't that…?" Seifer questioned Quistis as they stared at the girl in blue and the winged lion from far away. He walked to Quistis' side as the blond took a deep breath. "What's she doing with _that thing_…?"

"…He's no ordinary monster…" Quistis answered, standing firm with her right hand upon her hip, "That's Griever, the guardian of sorceresses."

"…_Griever!?"_ He gasped. "Are you saying? ...No way."

"…It means that Rinoa is the sorceress." She said, turning her eyes away from the scene and looking toward Seifer with a frown.

"That girl? She...." His eyes fell to the ground. Aside from the others in their group, Seifer had always known about Quistis' past. He also knew about her power. For a while, he had begun to believe that she was the next sorceress, so he vowed to help keep her past hidden and remain at her side. Keeping her sheltered at Balamb had been his way of holding dear to their promise. Should anyone have discovered her fate, he would have made certain that their lives ended the second after her secret was out. However, now with another named sorceress adrift, what were they to do. All of that work, was it all done in vain?

There was silence between them. Quistis knew exactly what was going through his mind. Suddenly her body weakened and she fell forward onto the ship's side railing. Those who stood behind them ran to her aid, but Seifer stopped them and ordered them to keep watch on the Galbadian force. He approached Quistis' side and touched her shoulder, leaning in to see her face.

Quistis looked down at her glasses and then wiped the hidden tears from her eyes.

Seifer lowered his voice so that only her ears could hear him, "…If she _is_ the sorceress, then why are you crying? Shouldn't you be relieved?"

"…Seifer, I don't think you realize what this means…" She frowned, turning her face toward him. "If Rinoa really _is_ the sorceress…then _what_ am _I_?"

He rose from her side and looked upon the mythical protector of sorceresses once more. The air around Griever stood still. The beast stood erectly, folding his arms and looking down on the fallen fire demon.

Suddenly, Ifrit stirred on the ground and rose up once again.

"_You can't defeat me!" _Ifrit roared, resurrecting himself before the eyes of Griever and Rinoa.

_**Stand down Ifrit, your battle is lost.**_

"_This battle isn't over till I say it is! Now stand your ground!"_

_**Ifrit, you are a fool, **_Griever began. _**Being a guardian to the sorceress means you are to put your full trust into her power and become her servant, knowing that you are her aid alone. She would never rely on you if you never showed her your own trust. I suggest you think before you speak. **_At his words, Ifrit somewhat toned down his rage. _**If she is listening to us, and she is, she would have already dismissed the thought of having you as her personal guardian. It is inevitable and futile. With that said, you have lost.**_

_Let's just see about that!_

Out of nowhere, like raindrops, something about the size of a bowling ball fell and dug itself into the surface of the earth. Griever and Ifrit stiffened momentarily while Rinoa searched their surroundings with her eyes quickly to discover what had landed with a thud around them. Within a matter of seconds, there was an explosion that tore through the dirt, its force separating them instantly and sent a few more of the same type of bombs exploding simultaneously across the land. With the ground exploding, Rinoa remained motionless, scared beyond all doubt of the violent tremors and fiery shards of metal soaring through the air.

"_Humans and their weak toys!"_

Ifrit, whose first intention was to strike at Griever, had then focused his energy on redirecting one of the bombs back to its source. He punched the bomb and watched as it soared directly back to the ship, crashing through the deck and metal until it was planted deep inside. A few soldiers, realizing their bomb had been returned, jumped ship as it exploded. The other ships remained focused in pursuit of the sorceress. Rinoa, holding her hands on her ears to mute out the sound of the bombs around her, made a weak effort to observe the shoreline and saw that the ship fleet was near ground but parked far away.

"Galbadia's attacking!" She yelled in unison with Seifer and Quistis whose cruiser had been faced toward the oncoming fleet the entire time.

"Were they really after us…?" Seifer questioned, running to the front of his vessel, leaving Quistis behind to saunter after him.

"Seifer!" A man emerged from below deck, "We don't know why the signal was jammed earlier, but a message just came through! It's from Galbadia. They're after the Sorceress. Sorceress Rinoa! They said she attacked some of the soldiers back in Galbadia, and an FH ship, and that's how they found her lead. They were headed this way to capture her the entire time."

Seifer folded his arms slowly. "Was it all just a coincidence?" He grinned, "I was so sure they were after us."

"There are five Galbadian vessels out there, there's no way we're worthy of so many soldiers," Quistis explained. "…And at the same time, after talking with Rinoa for that short while, I think it's moronic to believe that she's worthy of those five fighters too."

"What are you suggesting, Quistis?" He faced her quickly, "You wanna butt into the army's business?"

"I said no such thing," the blonde shook her head slowly. "I mean, Rinoa couldn't be _that_ dangerous. She's just a kid."

"According to the reports, she destroyed an entire town of people in Dollet! It sounds like she's out of control!" The man from below deck screamed, the sounds of bombs flying and exploding were behind his panicked voice.

Ifrit fought against the onslaught of bombs alone, deflecting them away from he and his opponent. Griever knelt down and placed protective arms around Rinoa, who had curled into a ball as the bombs fell around them.

"_What are you doing? Don't just stand there!" _Ifrit yelled._ "Help me ward them off!"_

_**It is not her wish to fight back. **_Griever spoke calmly, his grasp on Rinoa as tight as ever.

The fiery beast grumbled. _"Then what is your purpose dear sorceress, that if you do not wish to fight, how will you then defend yourself? When vermin like these threaten you, then that is your invitation to fight. …Let them be ignorant of their weaknesses…let them fall on their face in defeat. Do not cower in fear of a false frontal terror. A human's strike is less threatening than your weakest attack! Little sorceress…" _He faced her slowly. "_Show these mere humans why you are a chosen descendant of Hyne!"_

Rinoa listened to Ifrit's heartfelt words, but hesitated. Somehow the notion of striking an enemy while in defense became a recurring subject. It was what Squall had stated when they were inside the Timber forest together. Squall and Ifrit couldn't both be wrong about how she should handle herself as a sorceress could they?

Seeing that her choice to remain in defense was clear, at that time Ifrit decided to take matters into his own hands._ "Very well… Watch and learn!"_ He spoke as he turned to the remaining ships in their view.

The beast grumbled and gathered all of its might and strength and went against the army who continued to fire weapon upon weapon at the sorceress and her minions.

"Why are those idiots attacking _now _?! They didn't even warn anyone!" Seifer yelled. "People are _still _in Balamb!! No one's been evacuated yet! What the hell is going on around here?!" He slammed his fist against the beam of the ship. "Hell, I thought they were coming after us!!"

"Don't you see?" Quistis sighed. "This is what happens. This is why people fear sorceresses! In the end, if there _are_ casualties in Balamb, the blame will all be placed on Rinoa. The world will think that she wrought devastation to this town in her angry rage! The same thing happened to Edea, I know it!" Quistis' heart became enraged.

"Quistis," Seifer warned.

"And I'm not gonna let them do it again!"

At the same time, Wedge grinned as his plan to capture the sorceress foiled into action.

"Now!" Wedge ordered. At the sound of his voice, a missile was shot from one of the cannons that slowly matched up with its ballistic target: Ifrit. Ifrit, who had not known of the attack, continued ignorantly as he gathered the darkest fires of hell in his mouth. Before the missile travelled an inch closer, he had fired two shots of his acidy flames but was struck by the missile in dead air.

"Ifrit!" Rinoa yelled, standing out of Griever's protection.

The bomb had connected and exploded into Ifrit's chest, and the beast flew backward some feet with an earsplitting cry; however, his attack had connected with the same ship that fired and sent it exploding for a little while. When the realization hit home that the guardian had been injured while trying to protect her, Rinoa immediately swallowed the cowardly lump in her throat. The next time Griever looked down at his peaceful sorceress' face, there he witnessed what look like the gritting of her teeth and finally a stare that could match the tiniest glower from the devil himself. Rinoa clenched her fist, panting steadily.

"Why are you _following_ me!? I'm not even trying to hurt anyone!!" The girl yelled at the top of her lungs. Instantly, Griever felt a nudge deep in his chest. It was a deep force, feeling as though it would evolve and pull him in until he was devoured by it. It was the sorceress' hate welding up inside of him. It was her hate for heartless humans who continued to seek after her for no other reason than for her being a sorceress. Along with that nudge of hate growing inside him, Griever felt the abyss of his bloodthirsty wrath wailing to be set free. Rinoa had only scratched its surface.

With this newfound rage, she instinctively shielded herself from the bombs that her enemies sloppily fired off.

Grenades exploded left and right of them, yards away in the least, but both Rinoa and the beast stood their ground relying on the barriers created from Rinoa's inspiration of Griever's shell barrier during his fight with Ifrit. Rinoa suddenly took charge and ran toward the ships aligned at the shores. They continued to fire upon the sorceress and her guardian.

At that moment, Griever was able to connect with Rinoa's mind and sensed hate, scorn, desperation, and protection from it all. It was no doubt that her emotions had been twisted, having had enough of being pursued by the same group of people for a countless time. Griever barred his teeth and took flight behind his sorceresses, being certain that no bomb would befall either of them at the same time.

_**RINOA!**_ Griever yelled as he swooped down and picked her up from the ground. He flew her closer to the ships and landed her before them as they were a distance away from the coastline. The beast had then taken flight again and fired its mist onto the ships with a horizontal flash, and distracted some of their guns away from Rinoa's aim. With their new target the flying beast, Rinoa was able to conjure up the ocean waters and form a tide.

She remembered how easily the serpent summoned the water for its own uses, and realized she could exact a wave much to her liking. Standing at the edge of the coast, Rinoa summed up all her imagination and her mental psyche, and expelled a devastating tsunami onto the ships. The tidal wave forced them back into the ocean, and combined with Griever's flames, one of the four ships had sunken as it already had sustained damage from Ifrit's earlier rage. The remaining three ships were aflame until the repercussions of the last tidal wave smashed against it.

However, her efforts had not stopped the hearts of those aboard as they had not faltered against her attacks. They continued to fire standard gunfire to the sorceress and her protector, determined to leave victoriously. This angered Rinoa. In her rage, she animated the water to lift the ship by its belly and above the ground, high into the air where Griever struck at it with black and white spheres which exploded on contact. Men jumped for their lives, not caring how high up the sorceress had lifted them. The water epitomized two glorious hands with their grips tightly wrenching the noses of the ships. When Rinoa squeezed her own hands, the waters surrounding the ships thrashed through as if copying her efforts. Rinoa became lost in the moment, filled with power. She forced her energy upward with the ships in hand, belittling them to the sight of heaven. She would offer their lives to the greatest judgment imaginable. A devilish grin became of her mouth unknowingly, and she found herself panting like some rabid beast in the heap of adrenaline.

A voice, no louder than a calm breeze on a peaceful side of the world spoke within Rinoa.

_Witness your power oh mighty Sorceress. See how the ocean obeys and lauds you! Can't you feel the rush; the very blood rushing through your veins. You love that rush of adrenaline, don't you? Of excitement…of power!_

By this time, the ocean made a flat reflective wall where the ships remained at the top, continuously suffering damages.

_Look at yourself,_

_By the power invested upon the sea,_

_Take in your true form. _

_Hence forth is your destiny._

Rinoa only felt it right to obey the voice. When she retracted her eyes from her combined attack with Griever and forced them to the clear wall of water before her, she saw the face of a woman much like hers, only her hair was longer and silver and there were purple streaks decorated as lightning bolts upon her forehead. Her hands were raised, just as Rinoa's but there was a blaze of fire encircling her. What stuck out most horrifying about this woman was the pair of black wings that seemed to stand from her back and extend behind her. The scene around this woman was catastrophic; almost depicting a vision of what the end of the world might seem like supposing the earth is destroyed by loathsome fire.

Rinoa froze immediately, her arms falling down to her sides and abandoning her newfound rage. With her abandonment, the ships fell back to the earth like lifeless pieces of debris. The two vessels crashed and were mangled to pieces by the natural waves of the ocean. Rinoa had left the fourth vessel to be and looked down into her hands.

The leading vessel looked as if it were backing away, falling far back from the land which pleased a tired Rinoa; however, Griever continued to pursue after it.

_**Cowards!!!**_

_Griever! _She spoke unto her guardian through telepathy, her eyes had never looked away from her hands as she was still feeling fear from her vision. _"Let them go!"_

The beast landed onboard the ship and terrorized the ship crew scrambling around at the top in a desperate attempt to escape. He slashed the men whom he towered and forced most of them to hide down in the deck below, including the sergeant who was looking at him from behind the thin glass of the cabin room.

"_Let them go! Please!"_

_**If we let them go now, they will return with more men! Haven't you learned? These men are like rats! They multiply in the dark and return when you least expect it!**_

The beast stared down into the sergeant's eyes for a moment longer as he had spoken with her. Finally he growled at them, with orbs flaming a wild yellow. Wedge swallowed his breath hard and gripped the service pistol at his side. Suddenly, the beast spoke:

"_**IF IT HAD NOT BEEN FOR HER INTRUSION, I WOULD HAVE SLAUGHTERED YOU AND ALL OF YOUR MEN. CONSIDER YOURSELVES BLESSED THAT THE SORCERESS HAS SPARED YOUR LIVES THIS TIME!!!" **_

With his words, he ascended into the dark sky with a thickening growl. His wings were immense, thrusting through the air heavily. In flight, the beast noticed one other Galbadian ship, although it had taken quite a bit of damage also, it was still afloat and slowly headed in reverse as well. He saw that a battle cruiser remained not too far away, but it seemed to be uninvolved in any of the turmoil from moments ago. He quietly continued his return to Rinoa.

Rinoa watched as the beast made its move, glad that he had obeyed her for the moment. His blood thirst would have meant more lives that would later be placed upon her death toll; however, she knew she would not be able to clear her name easily since no one would ever trust a sorceress. With a sigh, Rinoa shrugged her shoulders. What did it matter if they confused his rage with her workings, in the end, wouldn't she take all the blame anyway?

In that moment, her mind wandered back to the vision she had had. Who was that woman? It couldn't have been her. She would never allow herself to be usurped by her own powers, or maybe she was in denial. Even in that moment of retaliation, she found herself enjoying the destruction of their flimsy ships. She could not deny having enjoyed that her enemies had tried to flee from her wrath.

Rinoa fell to her knees, ashamed and cursing her own power.

"No! I don't want any of it! I don't _want_ this evil inside me!" With her words, she yelled at the top of her longs, such that the wind around her was penetrated and released a wave of evil energy that expended from her being in that time. Rinoa collapsed as it flowed from her vessel, and slithered away within the breeze like some evil serpent.

"Dammit, they're escaping!" Seifer groaned, approaching the collision head on. He saw the main vessel out in the distance of the ocean, possibly headed toward FH. For now, he would allow them to continue. He had remembered that more ships arrived with that one, and to now see the later effects of just a couple vessels fleeing the scene, he thought it better to let them be. "Oh well. That must be _one_ tough lesson for the leader of that operation."

Quistis sighed and turned her eyes to the lands. Smoke still loomed in the air. How foolish Galbadia had been in their attack. It was events like these that caused her to feel that the path she had taken in life was the righter way. The army of Galbadia, they were nothing more than a bunch of crooks and thieves in uniform. They stole people's lives and freedom as if it were nothing. She balled her fist at this thought and vowed that she would not let the city of Balamb's destruction go unheard.

"Since things have died down, we might be able to make a landing near the shore." Seifer beamed with confidence. "You still up for grabbing the survivors?" He folded his arms and leaned back onto the railing.

The blonde was still gravely in thought. Somehow she felt that the presence of the great guardian beast was still near. Suddenly her heart pounded against her chest plate. Griever wasn't the only thing she sensed nearby. There was one other presence coming in fast toward her. Quistis placed her hands on the railing, looking to the murky waters all around their ship to spot whatever her heart had warned her of. Then, it was as if a knife had been plunged into her stomach. She gasped first, then squeezed the railings and fell against the beam.

Seifer watched her closely, somehow unable to move from his present position. It was as if he had been bound to the cruiser's railing, forced to do nothing but observe her demise.

Her eyes were to stare upon the sea's violent waters, until she found the reflection of woman in the water with silver hair. Suddenly her previous thoughts of justice had been eradicated and turned into a mastermind of hate.

The only other time Quistis had ever felt this way was in that time she had practiced her witchery against the thieves as a child. Unknowingly, it was when Edea's death marked the rise of an unnatural force that came surging through her body all at once, and in that brief moment so had it left her out in the endless field all alone. However, the girl could secretly admit that there was a remnant that had been left behind, still mysterious to her if it were done on purpose or not. The bit of power that remained with her had allowed her to manipulate various magic spells, given it wasn't as powerful as a sorceress' use of it.

This sensation of terrible power was vaguely familiar. Suddenly, she felt as though the part she had lost years ago which had died along with Edea, had suddenly returned to her in the blink of an eye. It was pure nostalgia.

"Quistis?" Seifer asked, finally able to move again. He pushed himself from the railing and approached her slowly and unsurely. Her back was to him, and she seemed to be facing the land ahead of their ship. "We have to see if Earl and that kid are both okay, remember? I, _we_ can't just leave them out there."

His steps were lightweight. "Quistis..?" She remained quiet even in the tender breeze.

Still with no response, he sighed angrily. "What, so I try to show some decency and it's still not enough? I don't know what to do with you anymore." Even at his attempt at having an attitude with her, he faltered. For her to retain this much in silence became somewhat laughable. He finally grinned and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Get your hand off of me, right now." She responded disgustedly, and he immediately pulled away from her.

"What the…" Seifer whispered.

"Hey Seifer, look up there! It's that beast again!" Some of the men screamed when they saw Griever flying by above them, heading back to his sorceress. Even so, Seifer was still wrapped up in Quistis' odd behavior. He had wanted to let her know that he was standing by her, but she continued to face the land. There was no way for him to know what state of mind she was in after discovering that her power had been a false evidence of sorcery.

"Seifer, what are we supposed to do?!" The men caught his attention again, but for the first time, the blond could not respond to his men as he was at a loss of words as well. Quistis growled at his silence, turning to their men in rage.

"What are you standing around for?! Don't let them escape!" Quistis yelled, her eyes sunken into a deep crimson. "After them! Let's go!" She called out to her men like a general to his soldiers in the heat of battle.

Seifer backed away into the railings, unbelief heavy in his heart.

"That way!" She said, pointing to the left where when a single person narrowed his eyes, he might possibly see the last Galbadian vessel that was tardy in its evacuation. Some of the men were surprised that her target was not the superior beast that was in flight, but the army instead, not that it was such a horrible thing. "Don't let them out of sight!"

"Seifer?!" A man called to the confused blond, wondering why Quistis had suddenly gone mad and taken charge, but Quistis approached him angrily.

"I'm second in command onboard and off of this ship, and if his mouth isn't opening to give the order, then _mine_ is! I will have respect! Now will you continually disobey my orders, because I can easily cast you overboard at any given moment by _myself!_"

"N-n-n-n-no Ma'm!" He immediately took his place at the pilot's side and gave the accurate coordinates of their next move.

"Good. I was starting to doubt your ability," her heart finally settled. Quistis faced the open waters leaving behind a jaw dropped Seifer. She glared at the beast in flight above them. She was sure that their paths would cross again in the future. For now, there remained a plenteous appetite abroad her agenda and time had already elapsed against her. She lowered her sights to the last Galbadian vessel, watching as it floated on the surface without a place to proceed to or the courage to do so. The sky around them had darkened significantly; hard to tell if that was because of the immense blaze or the aftermath of the sorceress' power. She took this moment to reflect on her curse or blessing.

It was bizarre the way the wind swayed and carried unto her the curse. From her silent prayers, the wind answered her, giving her a sense of clarity. All this time she had been standing in his shadow, taking the rougher end of the sword and all for the sake of a false honor. There was no respect between them. He was sexist; there would never be respect from him. No matter what her efforts were, it would never be good enough, never quite as high as his standards if he were in her shoes. The day became newly born. No more of his backlash remarks, and no more of his tough criticism, Qusitis Trepe had finally declared herself her own woman. Anyone daring to stand in the way of that fact would find himself in a cold deathly sleep, and unknowing that a mortician untied his shoe laces later that very same day.

So there she looked upon that helpless ship, repulsed by such a weakling site, and stretched forth her arm. Tonight would be the last night that all those onboard would ever see the light of another day.

From her belly, there arose waters of determination, of courage, of hatred, and she spoke loud and clear, such that anyone standing miles away could have heard her voice as clear as day, "IFRIT!"

Although the spirit beast had been knocked unconscious and immobile for a mere moment, he now found himself rejuvenated fully, his soul subjected to a new owner. No more would he lust for the approval of the newest sorceress, instead, he would fall upon the next powerful entity. Alas, when his spirit body had reformed before Quistis' glory, he roared in laughter, **"A mere human, summoning **_**me**_**? By what power should I answer to you? Surely this is a hoax."**

The woman grinned, "Don't be foolish…I could erase your very existence."

"**Little woman, I don't answer to just anyone. What form of witchery have you used to call me here, for you certainly are **_**no**_** sorceress?"** He folded his arms.

"I see." Quistis extended her fingers toward him, and balled her fist. Suddenly the beast's inside simultaneously began to knot up and crush, melding into one. It had been a pain he had never before experienced, like the pain of his own fire coming to submerge him into the deepest pits of hell, vulnerable to his own attack.

The beast agonized, crying to her for mercy. Quistis smiled, "Do you need further convincing?"

He growled, this time in her favor. **"Tell me, Master. Where, oh where shall I direct my flame?"**

For those aside from the blonde, their lives were now left in her hands, having no other choice but to succumb to the black pulsation in their hearts. She steadied her stature in the breeze, her voice booming loudly, "Till today they have not seen such fear. I shall show them a greater evil yet." Their new commander would lead their every step from this moment forward. Ifrit's words to her had been a blessing and a sign of their new journey together, the possessed woman smiled evilly and the battle cruiser disappeared within the mist of the sea for a surprise strike upon the unsuspecting Galbadian vessel.

From the distance between them, Wedge had watched the beast flying back to the shore. He ran out of the cabin and to the tail of the ship.

"Sir, what should we do?" His surviving men followed behind him.

By this time, the Sergeant wiped tears from his scared face and noticed that the lion now landed near his sorceress. He ran around behind one of the guns of his ship and took aim at Griever. He first fired off some rounds but realized they would not hit his target. He decided to push the homing missile launcher, but realized it was empty as he clicked the button more than a few times.

_I've underestimated her power. There were five fighter vessels with me. Three of which she singlehandedly crushed along with help from her beastly instruments… The fourth ship had taken on some damage but it was left alone. I made sure that that particular ship received the order to withdraw, but for some reason they seemed to have disappeared from behind us. They're not even sighted on the radar, so I hear. I have disgraced all of Galbadia, yet again._

At this, the man fell apart in the gun operating chair. His men gathering at his sides were left to watch their failed sergeant, all lowering their heads in shame. Most of their friends and comrades had been killed in battle. There was utter silence all around them, left to reflect and relive even up until the waning moments before their encounter with the sorceress of new. They would have to endure until their return home to Galbadia to report that the sorceress had yet been captured.

One of Wedge's most loyal men stepped up to his side, gathering his breath. "Would you like me to call in our report sir?" Watts asked, still proudly saluting his Sergeant. Wedge didn't know why, but seeing this soldier who appeared to remain in good spirits in that moment ignited some hope in his heart.

However, Wedge frowned at the view they had left behind. "…Not yet, soldier. I need time to rethink our strategy."

"Yes, sir, understood sir!"

Although his battle was unsuccessful, he would continue to keep his orders alive. Sure they had suffered great casualties today, but the order to catch a tough target consisted of patience and dedication, _and_ having the ability to learn from one's mistakes. This time, he would follow through and gather more information about this new sorceress before their attack. He would not return to Galbadia a failed sergeant.

_I wonder…who is that girl? _He thought to himself, and then closed his eyes in heavy grievances for his lost troops.

When reaching the shores, Griever found Rinoa collapsed on the ground. It had been an eventful day. Surely her mentality was strained and sank deeper with every bomb that had been shot toward them.

The beast landed beside her and picked his sorceress up from the ground.

_**You are still a child.**_ He spoke to her and jumped into the air.

Griever flew north of Balamb with the sorceresses in hand. They did not know what state they had left the others in, and nor had they cared to find out. He knew that Rinoa needed to get as far away from Balamb and Galbadia as possible, from both her enemies and maybe even her allies. By his power, they were sure to disappear for a brief eternity.

* * *

_**Author's Corner: **_

* * *

_There were things in my life which I needed to deal with and settle within my personal time and at my own pace. It was a great detour from the things I love doing the most. As you can see, I'm here now, and hopefully better than ever. I want to thank everyone for the encouragement and the kind words about my story(s). You have no idea how hard it was to emerge from the struggles that I've endured. Now I'd love to sit here and write them all out one by one (sarcasm) but I'd rather keep moving forward through and thoroughly. As I have stated in the past that I'm not fond of overly mushy things, I'll end this short letter here. I am truly thankful for having discovered this place. If it had not been for the abyss of imagination swirling around inside my mind, I would've long gone insane for lack of a venting hobby or a place to store all my notebook stories, which happens to have quite a few friendly faces to throw as well. In short, thanks for keeping me sane! lol_

_Stardust_


	13. Squall Pt 1

_**The man relying on his own strength has foolishly dug his own grave as well.**_

_**Squall**__: _

_The Unlikely Legend __Part 1_

_**13**_

Its landing was harsh. The massive beast hit the ground roughly while squeezing the sorceress' feeble body within its giant arms. To their advantage, they had landed onto a mountain of snow tumbling a ways across the ground before coming to a complete stop. The girl's eyes captured a blurry image of Griever curling its pearly wings around her, protecting her from the icy snowstorm that howled about them violently. He remained atop her upon the crystallized snow. She would continue under the hefty guard of her comforter until losing consciousness to the abrasive winds shortly after.

The next time Rinoa opened her eyes she found them inside a cavern. Icicles dangled at the ceiling above them and solid stones decorated the walls around them. A shade of light peered in from the end of the tunnel that was north of her. She arose from the ground suddenly, placing her hand on her forehead seconds before noticing his coat sliding down her bosom and then onto her lap. The girl immediately flushed red with embarrassment. Her eyes travelled over to her rescuer who was asleep, his back against the dampened floor. She was instantly reminded of their earlier conversation days or probably weeks ago by now about one of his many feats as an adventurer, or whatever he had been in the past.

"…Thank you Squall," She muttered with a tiny smile while rising from the ground and pulling away his coat. The girl gently crawled to his side shunning the rocky surface that prickled at her knees with each motion. Who knew what state his body had been in after protecting her from hours in the snow, so there was no need to pay any mind to the hard surface of the cavern and her own weak body for now. She placed the dark coat over his chest gently, leaving her right hand to rest on it. Rinoa moved her eyes along the stature that was his body until reaching and stopping at his face, his _youthful_ face. Being sound asleep, he appeared innocent and harmless. It almost made her wonder if it were right to give _him_ thanks for their safety at all being that it was Griever who had shielded her from the snowstorm.

Before she knew it, she was staring at him. Funny to fall asleep under Griever's care and wake up at Squall's side. He must have undergone his transformation after having found shelter and gotten them to safety all while she remained asleep.

However even in all his remarks about not liking sorceresses, he continued to stand by her and aid her through everything. Who was it really that had gotten them this far: Squall or Griever? It might've been easier to believe that Griever did everything simply because it was his duty to, but part of her wanted to believe that Squall's heart was present within Griever through it all, coming to an agreement with Griever about their actions till now. Somehow her heart fluttered softly at the thought of Squall willfully participating in Griever's every deed. Squall's sharp eyebrows slanted suddenly as if having heard her thoughts even in his sleep. Rinoa grinned sheepishly.

Maybe it was wishful thinking.

He was always sort of a jerk in his own way, she thought. Why had he tried so hard to appear cold and heartless? Couldn't she see behind that charade simply by looking into his eyes? How much easier it seemed when stated than actually done. He had never allowed her to get so close to him before, _never_. But then, she remembered standing before the fire demon with the hottest flames of hell engulfing them slowly and no way of escape— how electrifying his eyes appeared gleaming into hers, entrusting her with his hope and filling the void of her own lack of confidence in that moment. And it happened once even before that, when she had defended herself out in the plains of Timber against the small platoon of soldiers, he appeared there without passing judgment on her. He simply pressed her face into his chest and led her away from the bloody scene until her tears were safely hidden away. There were other times before in which she recalled him acting unselfishly, but why would he _not_ want her to acknowledge the good in his heart?

Obviously, his heart remained guarded well. All those mental strongholds of his most likely meant he wanted to keep her from discovering some hidden secret about him, be it good or bad. What was he trying to hide from her anyway? If he'd just let down a wall or two and admitted his secret, it would save her the time of examining him closely, not that she didn't like to. Even so, what would be the harm in getting to know the person accompanying him for such a long time? Surely she wouldn't bite off his hands and feet.

With her mind prone to an array of questions, the girl mindlessly brought her hand to his face and touched his cheek. To her surprise, she found that his temperature was growing hotter by the second. "Squall, it feels like you have a slight fever."

He hadn't answered or responded in any way. He was still unconscious, possibly having slipped into a coma. It was hard to tell because he seemed to simply be asleep. The girl panicked, sitting on her kneecaps and touching his forehead and right cheek again, finding sure signs of a rising fever all around. Squall had never once complained about his temperature before, and she concluded it was Griever's doing. What about now? Was it that Griever truly had been injured during his battle with Ifrit out in Balamb's plains? Could it be that he and Griever truly shared the same body even in different forms? Even so, what was happening to him now? How could she possibly help him recover? As her concern for him grew in her heart, she held the palm of her hand against his forehead once more. She would attempt to call his name; hopefully he would hear her voice somewhere within his vacant slumber. "Squa—"

"_Squall!_" _His mother Raine called to him before he wandered too far away from his designated playing area while she gathered flowers from the fields of Winhill. He was six years old and wild with whim, obeying only the rules of the wind and his mother, naturally. "Squall! Don't go out too far, okay?" She beckoned, placing a few tulips into her arm basket that was made of brown straw and braided at the handle much to her taste. Squall knew beforehand that whenever she reached for her special basket, he would be able to get away his studies for a little while and simply enjoy the day with her. After his father had joined in the war, it seemed he was doing less of studying and more of spending time with her._

_His mother stood a far distance away from him, her jean skirt blowing within the breeze. He saw the sun reflecting from her crème sweater and headband that matched it perfectly. On her face was a pleasant smile. Although he knew she was concerned for his safety, Squall could distinguish the differences within her motherly tone and when he was not in trouble for trailing too far away from her. The boy looked back to her, returning her pleasant smile. His face was much like hers, he had remembered his father saying before, but it didn't matter to him what he looked like. He was glad that his mother was well and that he could escape from his studies for a short while. Looking back at Raine after she had called out too him, he nodded his head and yelled, "Okay!" _

Rinoa gasped suddenly and removed her hand from his forehead causing the vision to end. She realized she had gotten a taste of Squall's childhood in what looked to be the place that had appeared before them back in Timber Forest. She looked down at his face, wondering if she should start to panic because he still hadn't stirred from his sleep. From that little glimpse, she realized how much of Squall's hometown reminded her of Dollet and how she'd spent those lazy afternoons hidden away in the flower field, away from everyone else. On some days her father even joined her out in the meadow, much like Squall and his mother. This caused the girl to smile, glad to have found at least one thing in common with him.

"Squall…," she whispered. His arms shook briefly and he muttered soft words beneath his breath, words that Rinoa had trouble understanding. Her smile quickly dissipated as a cold draft passed around them inside the cave of shelter. With only a layer of clothing between him and the cold ground, she figured he was freezing. The girl acted quickly, dressing his coat over his arms and back until it was reunited with his body for a proper fit. All the while Squall remained in an unconscious state, still murmuring lost words into the chilly atmosphere encircling them.

Worry filled her face. Maybe there was something from his past that she needed to see. What could have happened to him to make him want to junction with Griever and guard his heart so well? Was it something Quistis said to him down in the basement? With curiosity running thick in her veins, Rinoa stretched out her hand once again and placed it onto Squall's face.

Rinoa was absolutely horrified by what her eyes saw in the next moment.

A field of fire burned throughout Winhill. Bodies having been shot and stabbed lay scattered on the ground. It was a bloody massacre. Sheer terror explained the faces of those left to scurry what was left of Winhill. They were in search of freedom from their suddenly turned chaotic world. Esthar had invaded, bringing death to all Galbadians whether they were soldiers or civilians. Anyone caught in the way of crossfire between the town's militia and the Estharian soldiers was doomed. Winhill unfortunately found its way on the map of the next battleground as the invasion of Esthar continued.

The boy rushed through the town gripping the strong hand of his mother. When their home caught to flames, Raine decided they should make haste past the flower field and past the cemetery to escape. Squall ran at her side trying to keep up with the speed of his mother's legs. When looking down at him and realizing his struggle, she yanked his arm up and swung him in the protection of her arms, and he wrapped his legs around her waist. Raine placed her hand over his head when dodging through the hordes of men and soldiers that were battling through their streets, dodging crossfire all the way to the peak of the flower field.

He could hear the exhaustion in her breath, heavy with fear and adrenaline, and when he tried to see her face, she forced his head back between her neck and shoulder. "Close your eyes, Squall," she told him as she made her way through the flowers, footsteps away from freedom.

And he obeyed his mother, allowing the darkness to overcome his eyes and shutting out all the sites around them. He replaced the sounds of war with old hymns she used to hum to him that would soothe him to sleep. No matter how scary his room became at night, the sound of her voice would make all the frightening things around him disappear. The sounds of gunfire became the words to her melody, and soon, the child drifted off into another world while his mother continued to traverse onward to their escape.

But there arose such a bittersweet end to his melody, at the sound of his highest crescendo, Raine's legs stopped and buckled toward the ground crashing on the flowers beneath them. He fell against her, waking up from his oasis, only to find his mother in tears beside him and breathing heavily. "Mom…"

"Squall…" She began, "I need you to keep running."

"What!?"

"Don't talk back to me now Squall! Now's not the time." She took heavy breaths between, "Obey your mother!"

He could not stop the stream of tears falling from his eyes as he stared into hers and ignored the fiery death scene taking place behind them. If it were all but a second, it seemed that the world had stop for the two of them at that moment.

"You're a strong boy Squall. Make me proud….Keep running, and don't look back. No matter what you hear behind you, don't look back." She touched her fingers to his face gently, "…I love you so much." He remembered how strong his mother had always been, and to see a woman like her with tears falling from her eyes was a rare sight.

"I love you too mom," the boy answered softly, grabbing her hand on his face and squeezing it.

"Go, son. Now!" And she sent him on his way, praying that he hadn't stopped for a second to look back, praying that he hadn't realized she was being surrounded by soldiers carrying firearms.

Her prayers went unanswered.

"Mom…" Squall stopped running a good distance away from the town and turned back to see her, his mother, begging for her life but to no avail. When his eyes could bear no more, he turned away from the scene completely and ran for his own life as she had previously ordered him to do.

Rinoa opened her eyes and looked down at his face, beads of sweat had gathered over his temples and forehead. Should she wake him or allow him to sit through his life once more? Even so, it didn't actually mean that he would wake up just because she asked him to. What was causing him to think back into his childhood? She couldn't bear to sit idle and watch her own parents die again. Then the girl briefly thought about her family. First her mother passed from some illness and then recently her father too had died and left her in the world she knew now where everyone who learned of her true identity steered out of her pathway--except for him. A sad feeling eventually descended into the cavern around them. Rinoa took a deep breath to release her thoughts, now was not the time to reminisce on all the sadness still trapped inside her heart.

She realized she had been trapped in a daze and had stared at Squall for a while. If he were awake, surely she would receive some smart remark from him about her staring problem. Rinoa tried her best to smile. She ensured he would wake up soon; she just had to remain hopeful. She wiped his face with the dryer edge of her gown, ridding him the evidence of stress. "Squall…" her voice was like that of a sweet angel, "…Are you feeling better?" The fever had reduced considerably since the last vision occurred, but how much longer would this go on?

How much time had passed since they were first inside the cavern, let alone escaped from Balamb? It seemed like forever in the skies above land, flying in the air with Griever in their escape. He must've been so exhausted. Maybe that's why he fell ill? His eyes were shut tight. She wouldn't dare peel them open to see the status of his pupils against his will.

"Squall?" hopefully he would hear her call behind his closed eyes. She could see them moving from left to right repeatedly beneath the skin of his eyelids as if bothered by a nightmare; of course, she knew just what this particular nightmare consisted of. Worried, the brunette dropped the gown's edge and placed her bare hand to his youthful face. There was so much time between them. Griever bragged about how Squall had been trapped within his spirit for eternity long before her time. She wondered how old would that make him now. He certainly didn't reflect his real age, she thought. She smiled momentarily, until his eyes started up again moving right to left this time. The nightmare was definitely at work once more. "…Where are you?" She asked promptly, and closed her own eyes. Perhaps the sorceresses would grant her a vision into his mind, and perhaps she would find her answer soon.

With the surge of sorcery swirling about her being, she knew when it was safe to close her eyes. Rinoa had successfully tapped into her power once more.

He was left stranded after Esthar had invaded Winhill. He lost his mother in the attack; forced to watch her death from afar as the soldiers raided his hometown without restraint. They were small time folk, rarely ever used a weapon on anything other than animals for meats and clothing. He couldn't even remember why Esthar had invaded them anyway, no other purpose than late night fun in a foreign country that would never reach headlines or gain any other attention. He hated wars. He especially hated wars without a true cause, and he hated Esthar bitterly for taking his parents and his hometown away.

For a child his age to have to endure walking away from his burned hometown, he had grown in age in one night. The soles of his shoes would cease to break through the hard crusts of the ground in the Galbadian desert. If he had continued, he would've been sure to drop dead in his fleet, to become dinner to the vultures that were beginning to gather in number and swirl about overhead with their cruel laughter. The boy wandered aimlessly, dried lips smacking together to create some type of moisture, but it just wouldn't give no matter how much spit he tried to gather from the back of his throat. The heat burned through his clothes. He was too skinny to sweat out more water.

Still, he pressed onward. He was too far away to turn back home, yet too tired to continue his journey. He was sure to become a live meal to the beasts above, yet he continued, one lonely footstep at a time.

By daybreak, the sun was at its hottest. Every part of his body was covered in sunlight. There were marks of what he started to believe was sun burn appearing on his arms and neck, causing stinging and crackling of his skin. Puss oozed through the cracks of his forearms. Finally, the boy had taken enough. He stopped in place, staring ahead but unable to move further. No matter how many orders he gave to his body, it did not obey. His legs, together, dropped down against the earth in defeat, and the boy crouched over on his knees in a fit of coughing, coughing up everything his body had to offer in order to stay alive.

He dug his fingernails into the sand, only to feel unknown tremors vibrate against them. For a moment, he thought it had been another dizzy spell, or a mirage occurring as it had countless times before, but to his surprise the tremors got heavier and carried more weight than he could think himself into believing. Something was indeed headed his way. It might have been from pure excitement or exhaustion, but not before long after discovering the vibrations in the sand, the boy was out like a light. He fell unconscious knowing that he would soon be found, hopefully.

It was by pure chance that he was found that day in the hot desert. The boy was taken in by a group of Galbadian soldiers awaiting orders from the general himself. The base was located at the corner of the desert where the mountains overlooked the view of the vast desert and provided shade to their location. It was paved in tents wide and small, and army vehicles, some adorned in red cross medical symbols, others with personal drawings from the soldiers painted on their free time. Their leader, Sir Martine, was a swordsman of many types, namely the gunblade, a weapon of which Squall had taken great interest in even at his young age. Its unique build and plea for a strong wielder called out to the boy. The moment he laid eyes on it, he felt it belonged to him.

The other soldiers laughed and belittled him, knifing at his chances of becoming a great fighter, but Martine encouraged him. No one had ever chosen to wield the gunblade _because_ of its exotic handling. He applauded the boy's courage. This indeed caused Squall to train harder. He would become strong enough to challenge the Estharian army one day and defeat them. He would exact his revenge.

Day after day, Martine found that the boy's heart was strong as his dedication exceeded some—even his greatest trainees, and he also noticed his natural rhythm for combat. Squall found himself enjoying his time with the group of soldiers, finding a new place to call home among them. Time sifted between his fingers. Days turned into years and Squall had eventually aged to fourteen before their very eyes and became a decent gunblade specialist.

The teen had seen soldiers join the camp, sent into battle, or sent home, but Martine remained there throughout the years training him along with the actual soldiers scheduled to be there.

Martine was pleased with Squall's progress and one day proudly let him join in his platoon's small time fighting tournament usually done to pass time when the battles calmed down or when training. The others were impressed at how well Squall handled himself for a juvenile in their friendly bouts. He was confident. Squall was set on winning; however, there was a sudden disruption as a land tanker exploded at the foot of their sandy base.

"It's the enemy!" The troops called out, running back toward the main platoon to station themselves behind the machine guns ready to fire. All else ceased. Squall looked around nervously finding his focus suddenly broken.

"Esthar is within sight! Get to your battle formations, now_!"_ Martine ordered all his troops to grab whatever arsenal they could find and fire back at the force that was headed directly to their campsite. He had then turned to Squall and yelled at him to take cover, "Hide now!"

"No, I want to help!"

"Squall, I forbid you to fight! Now get moving!"

Squall was furious. He was strong enough to help defend them from the enemy, so why wouldn't he be asked to join in as well? After a moment of hesitation, he finally abided in his captain's command and left the soldiers to their duty.

Soon after, the entire camp was involved in an ongoing battle, and Squall found himself tempted to fight. He hated Esthar. They had taken his mother away from him. He wouldn't allow them to emerge victoriously from their raid. He had trained too hard to let this moment pass him by briefly.

The boy found himself entering the battle; however, it was not like the training matches he had previously been accustomed to. Everything was fast paced, and there was no time to think of his moves. He relied only on instincts and managed to injure the soldiers who had wandered too far into camp and out of the sight of the main platoon.

Martine had spotted him, after helping a man back to safety, and called out to Squall to get back into hiding, but Squall fled from his view as the enemy breeched their line of defense and made their way into the main grounds. There were scores of Estharian troops, and Martine wondered when they would see the end. He then ordered his men to keep fighting while he made sure Squall got to safety. There was no time to complain, instead his forces obeyed their supreme officer and held down the fort for as long as they could. Most of them were killed within the next hour or so as Esthar's technology proved to be a greater threat to their outdated weaponry.

He realized it would only be a matter of time before their base had been found anyway, but just how it was found baffled him. If he could not save them all, he wanted to be certain that at least one soul made it out alive.

Martine continued his search for Squall, knowing that he had already lost the battle. When he found Squall, there was a dead soldier on the ground with his very own blade shoved deep into his neck, and blood was still gushing out from the wound---and to the left of the body was the teen, panting with his back to the corner of the outside wall of their makeshift medical room.

"…He…he charged right at me," Squall muttered in tears. It was exactly as Martine feared, he was still just a kid and not ready to handle the responsibilities as a fully fledged soldier. He was not ready to kill dutifully.

There was nothing Martine could say to him, nothing except how glad he was that Squall had survived the attack, "It's alright. You were only defending yourself."

Before they could spare anymore words, an Estharian soldier found them. He walked toward them with his gun drawn, motioning for the two to stay still or he would shoot. Martine grunted and raised his hands up; pleading with the soldier that he didn't need to do anything drastic and that they would surrender with no contest, but the fearful soldier ignored his words and proceeded to fire his weapon. Martine, known for his quick reflexes, leapt before the soldier and grabbed the gun then turned it around so that it was facing the gunman instead. He then turned to Squall, yelling for him to run, but was shot in the back of the head right after doing so. Blood splattered everywhere, including all over Squall. Squall widened his eyes. He was scared and devastated.

After a moment of shock, he forced himself to run much like his mother had coached him before and to keep running much like Martine had ordered him to do recently. He ran with the gunblade in his right hand. It seemed he would always have the flight of the phoenix, destined to revive and run forever. Seconds after his choice to run, he felt as though a rod of steel speared his left shoulder. When the boy looked down, he realized he was bleeding; however, he continued to run.

He wasn't sure how or why, but it seemed like the soldiers had given up on him. Maybe it was because he still looked to be young in age or maybe because he had taken a shot in the arm. Even so, they showed some mercy on him after that moment, ultimately allowing his escape most likely knowing that he would fall dead on the plains in the desert somewhere alone.

He was cursed, so it seemed. Something had always happened to those he cared most about. Still, the boy pressed on, his hatred for Esthar continuing to push him to the edge.

Rinoa retracted her hand from his forehead with a sigh while sliding it over to his cheek with a concerned hand. Her eyes were sad, sad for him. Sure she hadn't always had a perfect life, and there were times she felt as though she could do nothing but cry, but to try and compare her life to Squall's life was unthinkable. He had endured far too much tragedy in his young life to be considered normal. She then realized he had been through so much even before making mention of Griever. Were there worst things yet to come his way? As horrible as she felt about prying into his past without his permission, she felt it the only way to connect with him, the only way to learn more about the man who Griever named a fool. From the looks of things, he was nothing more than lost and oppressed. She never once considered his life had been so full of tragedies.

His eyes hid that pain well. Those blue eyes never beckoned to sadness; in fact, it was he who told her to channel her emotions and use it to her advantage. She would take her weakness and turn it into power because of his guidance. "Squall," Rinoa grimaced sadly and leaned forward so that her face had occupied his chest. His breathing was abnormal, like he was on his last legs. He looked completely fine and his fever was there faintly, but somehow his wounds were perhaps internal. "What's the matter?" She asked, rubbing her face into his chest this time. "…I'm sorry Squall, I'm sorry for snooping, but I need to see."

With a deep breath, the young woman touched her hand to his forehead and felt an unreal surge pull her down into his conscience. Rinoa was frightened to find that this time, his memories were literally dark. The sky was drenched in black. Before she knew it, she was face to face with the body of a teenager, probably no older than he was in her last vision. There was blood all around him, and he was barely breathing. Tears unknowingly trembled at Rinoa's eyes.

"_Squall…"_ She spoke slowly, unsure if he would react to her voice or not. Because it was the past, she found that he most likely wouldn't, nonetheless, she tried again. _"Squall...?"_ This time there was a glimmer in his eyes and he looked up to the sky seconds after having heard some foreign sound in his mind.

Suddenly footsteps sounded not too far away. Rinoa saw a woman, dressed in a gown and a night shawl of red, dropping her things and kneeling at the boy's side. She stared for a moment at the bloody weapon at his side. Through all the stains and dried blood caked around its handle, it was undoubtedly a gunblade. Even as a young man, he was still light enough for the woman to carry. She had moved his body to safety at first and then returned shortly after for his beloved gunblade. The woman had carried the boy to her house in a deserted place far away from any major city, but hidden between the mountains of a nearby town. She nursed the boy back to good health. At this, Rinoa relaxed and continued to watch as his life unfolded before her eyes.

Quite some time had passed since he had been rescued. The woman governed his every step carefully. He had little memories of his past now and rarely ever said a word to her. She was excited one day when the boy had awakened early one morning and begun to practice with his weapon of choice all on his own. Squall, in his naivety, wasn't aware of the twinkle in her eyes as she watched him strike through a scarecrow made of straw, which he had built up himself. She stared at him in amazement. After that day and the following days to come, she would wake up earlier than the teen and fix him breakfast, telling him stories of the ruthless Estharian soldiers and their workings of evil all across the land. She told him how they went through countless towns and slit the throats of the townspeople as they slept, and she even mentioned one such town called Winhill.

At her words, the boy's heart was immediately filled with hate and he recalled his earlier childhood memories. It was then that she saw a change in him. He was already becoming a man of few words, but now he had turned into a young man of even less to spare. He was now seventeen, having grown up with his own distraught of a past and also on the horrifying detailed stories from the barren old woman he had come to known as Aida. One could look into his eyes and see a life of pain and struggling, and of weakness. He was tired of being picked up and rescued, clinging to other people like a pitiful parasite, how it is unable to live by its own hands but by the blood of another living creature. She sensed that rage in his heart. He began to practice from dusk till dawn, sometimes without stopping for a meal.

If he wasn't standing out front practicing his swinging and the combat maneuvers he had remembered Martine explaining to him, he was fine-tuning his weapon, keeping it razor sharp so that it might slice anything in two. This pleased the old woman. She was happy that he was no longer moping around or frowning about whatever might have been going on through his head at that particular time. She knew that he had held a deep hatred for Esthar, and she was sure to drench him in those endless tales of Esthar's darkest deeds. He grew to trust no one but her alone. He knew of the village to the south of them, which name has been lost in time, but there were traitors among them according to Aida and he steered clear of the regular folk as they were nosy and lauded Esthar's power instead of trusting in their own strength and taking a stand to fight and defend their homeland.

He remembered walking through one day, on an errand for Aida and coming across an elderly man with a few kids sitting before him. He spoke of an ancient tale of the land's god. Usually Squall was uninterested in the things occurring within this town, but for some reason he stopped as he was passing through and listened from afar.

"Long, long ago… when the world was just made, there was a strong god named 'Hyne.' This god was very, very strong, but after fighting a lot of monsters, he became tired. So he made people like you and me to do all the work, and the god went to sleep. However, the god was very surprised when he awoke, surprised that there were so many _people._ Hyne decided to reduce the number of people by taking away the children. Everyone was scared! And then the battle against Hyne began. Even though the people were small, they all got together and finally cornered him. Hyne didn't know what to do. Out of desperation, he gave half of his body to the people and ran off with the remaining other half. It turns out Hyne tricked the people. The half that Hyne ran away with was the half that had the stronger magic. That half transformed into a beautiful woman who's said to be the first sorceress who once held peace but then wrought devastation until she was killed by her greatest servant. That sorceress' spirit lives on and she knows exactly who's being naughty! No one knows if she'll aid the naughty person or smite them away for their wickedness, so it's best to not be naughty at all! She might be close by actually. She might even be watching you!"

He made a loud noise and scared the children away and they ran away from him laughing, some were in tears though. Squall shrugged his shoulders and continued up the road out of town. He disliked storytelling greatly. He remembered the story of Griever and how he spent nights praying to be strong just like him or asking Griever to look after his father in battle. He later came to realize that relying on a fictional story's power was pointless.

He was careful not to allow the weaknesses of others to cause him to become filled with self doubt; instead, he remained with Aida swearing that if anything should happen to or around them that he would take charge and defend her with his very life, returning all that she had done for him.

Then, it was as if fate had heard his silent vow, and on that very same night Esthar raided that nameless town south of them. He had been finishing up the last of his chores outside when suddenly there was an explosion from the village. He saw brilliant fire and a thick smoke screen rise up from over the mountain side where the town was located. His heart raced with fear, pumping faster than he could have reacted. Aida hadn't opened the door to see about the sound. He was left to believe she might have taken cover somewhere inside. He was glad she didn't come out right away, glad she was nowhere in sight. Surely she would wish him to hideaway like some coward.

Squall ran to the back shed and found his gunblade in its own personal shrine; he removed it and gathered some bullet caps near a box that was beside it. Aida had supplied him with a multitude of gifts for his beloved gunblade. She was proud to see he had taken an interest in something, so it seemed. _Finally_, his heart praised, _finally_ he would be able to have his vengeance against Esthar. He was sick of them pestering the people of Galbadia, always inflicting havoc to the peaceful towns, and all for what? There was still no reasonable explanation for their attacks. This angered him. With one last look upon the old wooden house, he was off to the town to stop Esthar's soldiers.

It was a fool's errand, the old woman thought, watching him run to the mountain's pathway from her window. Her lights were all turned off so that her shadow had not been cast where he might see. She knew he would sneak away at the first moment that explosion sounded. While the boy's heart was strong, he was yet foolish. What could he possibly expect to accomplish on his own with one measly weapon? Aida gathered her things and followed behind him carefully.

The boy stood at the mountainside watching from afar. The soldiers went through taunting poor defenseless men and women before executing them in front of their families. Children were left in utter shock and terror while the slaughtering carried on. Finally, Squall could take no more. He would not allow those children to endure what he had been through. He gripped the handle of his gunblade tightly and took charge into the town, starting from the back near the water well.

It was dark. The sky had done well to keep his shadowy clothing protected from the watchmen's eye view. Right when most of the soldiers had begun to gather up all the remaining people, Squall had struck, making quick work of the soldiers of lesser ranks. He cut the ropes of the townspeople who had been captured there and told them to run for the mountain, to seek shelter near Aida's home. They listened well and left him to his vigilance.

"Hey you!" He was spotted by a soldier on his way to help the others who had taken the loosed family captive. "Stop right there!" The soldier's words were futile. Squall went after him and before the man could draw his blade, the teen had run through him, slashing him and continuing. The man stayed in place for a moment, and then fell to his death, blood gushing from his neck. It was the same for a few others as they charged toward him, weapons held high, but Squall expertly dodged through them quickly and slashed one man's stomach, the other's thigh, and finally the last man unfortunately received a thickening line across his neck.

With his victories, Squall became fearless and somewhat reckless. He was determined to either kill them all in one place or send them packing for the hills. He wanted to get his message across that Esthar was no longer welcome. They were an evil nation, seeking only to take, destroy, and kill.

Finally, Squall realized he had reached the heart of the soldier's nest at the front of the town. There were trucks of them all readying to bulldoze the town to nothingness. He stopped for a moment, wondering what the true purpose was for all these unnecessary attacks. It seemed that none of them would tell him of their plans, as they blindly followed their own orders and removed the people from their lands.

This angered Squall even more. His heart was filled with rage. At that particular moment in time, his brain snapped in two. Squall charged foolishly toward them, gunblade drawn and extended before him. Some of the soldiers looked up and realized they were being attacked by a one man army. The captain standing in charge merely laughed and ordered the boy's capture or his death, whichever came first.

They took him for a joke at first; that was until the boy singlehandedly went through landing fatal blows to their platoon. The grins were wiped from their faces. It was then that they realized they were dealing with someone who had been trained expertly in combat and not some kid who had just found his father's sword in the basement. He was in full pursuit with hate, taking as many lives as he could. Blood was everywhere. It wasn't until one of the higher ranking soldiers pushed all the others aside and dealt a devastating blow to Squall's head that he stopped. He was barely unconscious and temporarily paralyzed, but he saw them all standing over him, stomping him and beating him. He had finally been detained.

When they went through the town after the attack and realized that that same kid had gone through and killed more of their comrades, their anger increased immensely.

Last the surviving townspeople saw of Squall was him being taken into custody, chained and thrown inside of the enemy's vehicle. It would be the last of Squall that they ever knew. There were tears shed. Some of the men had been encouraged and empowered by the boy's acts. They marveled at his braveness and strength. However, some of them cursed him, calling him a fool for being so weak and getting caught. Squall had always been quiet, but to see him act out in their defense had deeply affected them all in some way. Aida listened to their bitter complaining until her ears could no longer pity their weakness and ignorance. Behind her red shawl, she watched the trucks as they had taken Squall away.

A deep grin thickened across her lips.

* * *

_Author's Corner_

* * *

_Stick around for more Squall adventures in the next chapter, but I must warn you, it's a bit long. So please, take a breather in the midst of reading, unless you want to risk your eyesight and read the whole thing through. I try not to make my chapters too long, but I have so much story to go through---sometimes I can't stop my fingers from continuing. As usual, please leave your thoughts of this chapter if you feel up to it because it'd be nice to hear from you all again. I'd like to thank you guys for your last reviews, it's really encouraging to know that you are still with me and checking out my updates. I apologize for the awkward progression, but sooner or later you'll find that it was necessary. Hopefully these couple of chapters will answer some of your current questions and spring forth new ones, but I can't ask for too much, right? Anyway, thanks again, and see you really soon with the next update which is done but needs a few touch ups._

_Thanks Blue, you're anon man, so I can't reply directly, haha. Seriously though, it'd be great to have your help again. I hate typos, but they're funny and I'm pretty sure there's something up there---eventhough it doesn't really bother that much anymore. So good to hear from you, I miss you! ^.^_

_Stardust~_


	14. Squall Pt 2

_**To drink from a glass of poison and wait for someone else to die, such is an illness known as hatred.**_

_**Squall:**_

_The Unlikely Legend Part 2_

_Griever reborn..._

_**14**_

His eyes opened with a jolt as cold water splashed his body. A few seconds bypassed his delayed eyesight. It was dark, yet the night was still young. There were distinguishable rainclouds above them, but the air seemed much too dry for rain. He then realized that the smoky clouds came from the torches that were burning around him. He was surrounded by men holding those torches and a few others without who had been standing before him, their shirts stripped off to reveal hardened muscular abs and upper bodies, mere instruments of the war. He wondered where he was, as none of the men seemed familiar in any way. He could have forgotten what happened that night to wind up in a place like this; that was until the captain took the liberty of reminding him of his mistake.

"It's hard to believe that some kid managed to sneak about my platoon. You've injured close to fifteen of my men and _killed_ thirteen. All of those under my authority are important to me. We take our jobs _very_ seriously. For someone such as _you _to step in and _attempt_ to distract us for a little while, believe me when I say it will not be handled lightly." The captain revealed himself a tall man with short brown hair and ghostly pale eyes, stepping out from between the shirtless men. He was decorated in a flashy vest suit of the Esthar military. "Mark my words, boy: Tonight you _will_ die slowly and painfully. Before we're through, you will have begged us to smash a mace into your skull. No one manages to sneak into my unit and touch any of my men, and _dares_ to think he will live a normal life afterwards. Juice him up," He ordered the shirtless men who all slapped their fist against their palms and approached Squall who remained tied upon the post.

The others holding the torches had taken a few steps back while the bruisers neared Squall with their snickering. Squall looked around, feeling his stomach sinking down into his gut. He had begun to regret his actions. He should have backed off once he saw the main line of troops at the front of the town, but no, he just _had _to persist. He wanted to show them who was boss, who to be afraid of. Thinking back on his actions now, he could only admit to being a fool.

"Oh yeah, I can tell this is gonna be fun!"

One of the men landed his fist upon the brunet's stomach, causing Squall to start a roll of coughing from his gut. He had no time to prepare for the impact. Other men on the side began to laugh, "Oh, he's some tough guy, right?! He's still a kid!"

"Yeah, can't even take _one_ punch!" More of the men who stood around laughed. They gathered drinks on the side and laughed while Squall was beaten to a pulp on the post. It had gotten to the point where he hadn't felt the licks of the punches anymore; he had just gone out into a daze. His face was covered in blood, his body turned purple. He muted all sounds out around him, until he coughed up blood occasionally and was reminded of his present reality.

Finally they all backed away him. From the blurred vision of his bloodshot red eyes, he saw someone approaching him with a knife. He looked up to the sky. He knew it would be his end, but instead that person simply slit his shirt down the middle and pulled away the remnants in that same minute. Then, Squall heard the captain's voice booming over all other sounds around him, "I told you already that by the end of this night you will be begging us to kill you quickly kid, but guess what, we're not through yet."

He walked to Squall's bloody body and stared at his face with a grin, "I think you're beginning to enjoy this."

Squall immediately retracted his eyes from heaven and brought them down upon the man's face and proceeded to smile first. Then without warning, he spat in his face.

The captain immediately backed away wiping his face into his armpit. "That's it, turn that bastard around!" He yelled while shaking his whip from its loose. "He'll regret making a fool of me!"

The men standing around abided in his command and untied Squall's hands first then faced him toward the post where they bind his hands with rope at the top. "I would've liked to offer you a cork to chew on, but I think I'd rather watch you bite off your tongue to escape the pain instead. You've left me no other choice."

The man stood behind him from afar, slinging his whip around and prepared to snap it upon the boy's back. Squall stared forward, looking passed the camp. His eyes were distant, having lived a hundred lives before this one. There were soldiers standing all around, but nobody stood at his front. They stared upon him, some of them eagerly awaiting his lashes, but there were few who seemed to be uncomfortable. It didn't matter to him. The soldiers were mesmerized by the fact that he seemed unafraid. There was an eerie silence watching the captain and the deadly teenager at his post. He lowered his whip and pulled a long glove over his right palm. It would help to maintain the grip on the whip as he lashed his victim usually. Rinoa held her breath. In an instant, she was there with Squall among all the other people, only she was invisible and able to walk around to see his face. She sensed his fear, that fear he hid so well. Although terrified, Squall continued a façade that caused his persecutors to believe he was fearless and bold about his crimes against their men.

The captain raised his arm, his shadow slung the whip around twice before snapping it forward where it made contact with Squall and ripped a strip of skin from his back. Although it was sheer pain, he had never made an attempt to release a cry. He barred his teeth, and blood dripped out from his facial sweat glands and back. The roping around his wrists was tight and broke through his skin, but it was still not enough to make him cry out loud.

Again, the captain expertly slung his whip forward and snapped it onto Squall's back, making another stripe across his bared flesh. This time Squall breathed out, but still no cry was heard. He closed his eyes and remained strong. Rinoa watched, even in his past, horrified. Tears gleamed at her eyes, but never fell. _"Squall…I'm so sorry."_

He immediately opened his eyes and looked up at the sky as if to search for the one behind that unfamiliar voice. Sweat and blood dribbled from his face and chin, and onto the ground. Squall dropped to his knees exhaustedly.

"Two strikes and he still don't make a sound!" One of the men yelled out with others agreeing behind him, "Strike him harder cap'n!"

"It's fine. If he wants to be a man, let him take it like one," the captain chattered while signaling for a lesser soldier who was carrying salt to come over. "Put a little salt on those wounds. Give him a good rub so he's good to go."

"Wait, that's it?! No more whips?!" They cried in unison.

"If I continue, the kid won't last much longer," he chuckled and wiped his face with a hand towel.

The other soldiers watched as the salt bearer sprinkled a little salt on Squall's back, "What the hell are you doing newbie?! Pour it!" Someone yelled out, and then made his way to the center while the others applauded his decision. He ripped the salt from the boy's hands and dashed heavily across Squall's bare back, looking to the crowd and quenching their satisfaction of his torment. Squall's flesh immediately felt as though it was on fire. Finally the salt carriers backed away and left him to squirm on his knees at the pain. When Rinoa saw this, she fell to her knees as well and threw her arms around him. _"Squall,"_ She whispered gently into his ear, even if he couldn't hear her to react, she would try her best to let him know that he was not alone. _"Squall, please…don't give up." _He leaned his head down as if to rest in her care. _"Squall…these men are nothing more than murderers. They're not soldiers. They don't even deserve to live! I understand your hatred. I see why you hate them, but please don't let them win. I'm right here with you. Don't give up now!"_

His eyes had begun to roll to the back of his head right as she spoke; however, Squall shook away his defeat and raised his head slowly, looking forward tiredly. At this notion, Rinoa backed away from him, fading back into nothing. He took a deep breath first and then rose from his knees on the ground, falling against the post to rest his body. The captain had longed turned his attention away from the young brunet. Someone pointed toward the boy while he took a drink from his flask. He then turned around to witness the boy standing on his own with his back to him. He was surprised that Squall could still find the strength to stand after taking not one but two lashes from his most fearsome whip. The man smiled genuinely.

"Looks like you need to be broken in, young man," the captain laughed. "Very well," he forced his whip loose once again and shook his head side to side. "These days I never _dreamed _of striking my whip across anyone's back more than two times. Sad to say, but stronger men usually don't make it passed _three-_--three consecutively that is."

"But you," he continued, "you're different. You seem to think that this isn't the end for you, that your life will continue on somehow." The man sighed between his words. "Well I have a little news for you, boy..."

"You will not outlast my whip this time."

Before Squall could prepare himself, he was struck a third time, and then another. Someone braved the captain's whips, running over to push a bottle cork into his mouth so that he would have something to bite down into. Squall bit down desperately trying to make the cork stay put, he would most certainly have bit his tongue in half if it had not been for the piece of substance between his teeth. But even so, it was not enough, for in that fifth strike, the cork flew out of his mouth and he released a mournful cry of pain above all other sounds around them.

At this, the captain smiled in satisfaction.

"Get that damn fool off my post and put him in the tent for a bit. If that doesn't kill him, we'll smash his head in later. He was fun, but I doubt he'll be waking up in the morning."

"Aye, sir" his men replied, immediately untying the boy's hands from the post and forcing him to walk to a nearby tent. After roping his hands behind his back, they threw him inside the prisoner's tent where all sorts of night bugs had gathered. There was no lamp light inside, just cold damp ground and no blankets. He was left in silence and utter darkness, left to die a slow and painful death. There he kneeled in the cold earth, staring off into the blank void that surrounded him. It could not have gotten any worse than what he had already endured.

His face was blank. There were no more tears to be shed. He had been through hell and was still there; however, his mind became numb to the spearing pains he felt all over his body. He would not expect to see the light of another day. It grew ever darker. He was there all tied up even though he lacked the strength to escape. He was alive yet bleeding a slow death. Then a hooded woman appeared in his tent.

Rinoa saw what his eyes saw, which was the presence of a grimly smile upon her face. Squall recognized her red shawl, but was too tired to speak.

It was a miracle that he had survived the five lashes inflicted to his young body. His back was a bloody mess and the flesh of his skin was open and bleeding raw tissue. The town had watched his capture and done nothing about it, not that he expected to be saved by anyone. If it weren't for her, he would have lost all hope of survival. He had received none but one visitor; it was the same woman who had found him before. She claimed to have followed after him to see that he would fare well, but was saddened to find that he had been captured. Apparently, she snuck into the campsite and entered into his tent before anyone could see. He closed his eyes and fell into her care. So the old woman tended to his wounds and told him of a story, a legend of the past or perhaps the future about a young man to wield such a unique weapon known as the gunblade, and unlike any of the other gunblades already in existence, this particular one called the _Lion Heart_ was special, for it was filled with the power of Griever itself. Although it was only a legend, Aida claimed to know a way to make it come to past, and she spoke of a ring that existed in their lifetime that had held such power---something that he had been connected to since his childhood.

She was inhuman, so it seemed, having sensed his connection to this ring since their first encounter. She knew without a matter of doubt that he was the wielder of the Lion Heart. And the legend went as follows:

"_Long ago there was a warrior to wield a weapon resented by all men because of its delusional maker. He crafted the murderous weapon and bestowed it upon a young boy whose heart was kept by no one. The young boy, in his adolescence, proficiently learned to wield the weapon and by his early adult years, mastered it in every way. _

_The young man had joined in many warring battles for the sake of fighting, helped dozens to gain whatever their hearts desired and yet, he asked for nothing in return. The young man was rumored, driven, by the demented weapon in his hold, into a bloodlust rage and fought battle after battle to satisfy his own need. _

_Upon discovering the young wielder of the gunblade, the sorceress at that time cast upon him a spell; his heart would open and he might become whatever his soul secretly desired. Doing so, a ring the young man had worn most of his life was forged into his very gunblade, and the gunblade shined an icy blue, matching the color of the young man's eyes. That very magnificent flash of azure had brought death to many; however, with every life lost, the young man lost a piece of himself. Many warriors lost their lives to the wrath of the gunblade, and one day, the fighting ceased… _

_On this very day his heart had become contented, and the young man had mysteriously vanished. Leaving behind his fearlessness for many to laud or blight, the young man was known to have the heart of a lion; hence, the fated tale of the Lion Heart." _

As farfetched as tales were, Aida understood that not every word of this legend was true, nor would everything that was written come to past, but for the most part she believed he was the person in that legend. And she spoke of a ring, a ring that had been in the boy's family since his childhood--having belonged to his father and his father's father, given to them by a stranger to their family in an act of kindness. The boy was fated to receive that very ring. It too was rumored the home of an inner dwelling of a spirit who was filled with great power and pride. The boy remembered receiving the ring from his father who had later been sent off to war in which his son had given the ring back to him in return as he wished his father protection and strength.

However, Squall's father did not return from the battle and the family of three now turned two received the man's body as well as the ring that he wore on his finger to the very bitter end of his life. The boy cursed the ring, throwing it into the pit of his father's grave, never wanting to believe in any such fairytale for the remainder of his life. He prayed for strength of his own, to be able to protect his mother from the childishness of adults and their silly stories and also for the very real power of might, to be able to deflect any invasion from the lands of Galbadia. Of course, even the dreams of a child could not always come true, for within the following years of his father's death, his hometown was attacked and he was forced to watch the death of his mother from afar while she secretly motioned for him to flee the town for his own safety.

And it was at that moment when the young man remembered how much he had hated the acts of war, the killings, and murdering of innocent people caught in the tides of its rage. He hated Esthar with a passion, for it not only took his home away from him, but his beloved mother and father, and his comrades and mentor. And as he sat listening to the old woman's ramblings, he realized how much he had begun to hate Galbadia too for being so weak, for losing so many battles against Esthar and then having the need to make those, who would lay their lives on the line for what they believed in and for the pride of their country, into traitors and used them as subjects of torment as per compensation for the lack of victories in the battles of war.

As her story came to its close, the old woman offered to free him and to help him find the ring that would give him his needed strength to attain vengeance. She was pleased when he answered with a swift yes, having only taken a second to register in his mind that he was at the end of his rope and that no matter what he did from then on, he would have nothing further to lose. Squall had lost everything he had ever held dear to his heart in his entire life since he could remember.

Soon after he had given his answer, he found that his wounds were healed, but the scars were left on his back as a reminder of his past scorn and pain. The rain broke through the dark sky. Squall, guided by Aida's voice, was led to find his gunblade and escape from the wrath of the soldiers at the campground. He remembered where the ring was, having been buried underneath the soil and planted with the first drops of dirt on the casket that held the cold corpse of his father. In unnatural speed, he ran back to the town of Winhill, never tiring nor stopping for a breath along the way. The rain poured down from the heavens on this night. Once there, he found the shattered tombstone of his father and decided to dig up the grave for the mystical ring. He dug with his bare hands until he was standing on the mid top of the casket where a shiny glimmer emerged from the mud.

Squall dug through mud in the rain to unearth the ring with sturdy fingers. He held it up, Griever's ring of damnation; his electrifying blue eyes praising the cold steel against his fingertips with the heart of the lightning storm striking behind him. The boy slid the ring onto his right hand, fourth finger. He climbed to the surface top once again. Unlike one time long ago as a child, when he could feel nothing from the ring, this time was different, this time the spirit within was alive and yearning for his connection, yearning to have him pour his soul into its cold metal.

The young man, acting before the old woman could return to him that night, slipped the ring onto his finger and immediately felt a surge of energy course through his flesh. His eyes, already a deep blue had become an unnatural blue, one that was radiant and full of power; as had his gunblade which was now on the ground at his side. It too was filled with the mystical power of the great beast of the past. He roared with confidence and dominion. His yell rang through the heavens and surroundings such that all those near could hear the agony of one having to bear such an entity as unmatchable strength. And he lifted his soil covered hands where he saw the light of his eyes shining a brilliant blue against his palms. Looking upon the ground, he found that his gunblade was now grafted with the carvings of Griever, the ancient beast of power and pride, and that very same beast was what now lived within him.

At the moment of this realization, Squall grinned and kneeled down to reach for his gunblade, now known as the Lion Heart. Miniature white wings extended from the revolver end where the handle was made of an antique design of russet embroidery, and from there a slender sapphire blade emerged with a sharp end that seemed to be able to cut almost anything in two. He smiled at his new weapon, confident in his skills. Somehow he felt as though he had been disciplined with the Lion Heart since his birth, and had finally become one with his weapon. For the first time in a long time he smiled, and it was certainly brighter than that of the silky moonlight. His eyes returned back to normal, but his blade remained radiant.

Without a moment to spare, the young man disappeared from Winhill and appeared back at the campground where the soldiers had beaten him senseless without remorse. He smiled when they saw him. Squall allowed them to gather their weapons first while they shouted amongst themselves about the kid's brave return and also that he was not quite human, being able to stand after having endured all their methods of pain; it was quite puzzling. Then he attacked them, one man against an entire fleet alone in which he emerged the victor. Those who had surrendered had their pleas fall upon deaf ears. Squall spared not one. Their commanding officer had the pleasure of tasting the blade of the Lion Heart personally, as Squall returned the favor of heeding his wish to die slowly. His death, as gruesome as it was, would not be one that the young swordsmen would ever regret.

Nature's tears were relentless, weeping for those caught up in the sorrows of war; particularly Squall. He stood at the foot of their fallen base with nothing but the smoke of his breath pouring out into the cold shower to delight in. A few weeks ago, he might've cheered at such a feat, but somehow he had again aged in one night, one journey. He saved his parades for a later date, when the nation of Esthar was wiped from the face of his world by his Lion Heart. He turned away from the massacre and hid himself into the shadows until someone wandered near and discovered the destroyed base and the bodies of Estharian soldiers scattered everywhere: some limbless, others headless, namely their captain. Fools across the land exclaimed that Esthar had gotten a taste of its ill omen. Still no one knew for certain who was responsible for this attack.

No one other than Aida knew. She spoke of his victories to the townsfolk first and thus put to rest their ideas of his demise. She was certain to keep them updated, as his rebellious actions hadn't stopped at that one particular Estharian campsite.

Rumors of the solo swordsman spread like wildfire and he eventually found people wanting to join forces with him, but that was until he encountered the largest Estharian fleet he had ever faced in his day and they challenged him, alone. It was an all out attack to end his raids permanently.

As the weeks passed by and he had been on his lonely mission, the rainfall continued rather unnaturally. On this particular day it was no better, it had completely saturated the land and turned it into a muddy field of challenges. The fog grew thicker by the second. Under these blinding conditions, dozens of the Estharian soldiers, same for Squall's followers, feared they had no chance to survive and abandoned their leaders. Squall was almost completely abandoned at the foot of Esthar's greatest recorded fleet for a single target.

The sky sobbed continuously. The fog was deep, the mist sheer white like the wool of a wolf's coat, blinding the tired eyes of those who braved these obstacles and continued ahead in pursuit of victory. Thousands of men gathered equipped with swords, daggers, and guns, all clothed in impenetrable armor, they were ready to slay him. Some of his men, those with nothing to lose, had reconciled behind him and prepared for battle opting to give their lives for their homeland. When Squall looked behind him, the remnants of the Galbadian army had gathered together and charged forward until coming to a halt in rows of men awaiting his command. The great pride of Galbadia against the Estharian Empire; it was a war for the ages.

"Charge!" He yelled from the top of his lungs and with everything inside him, eyes burning red with eagerness and fury. The resonance of his voice was above all other sounds including the dominance of the falling rain.

When the armies charged, Galbadia was quickly outnumbered and her men braced themselves for a critical battle of survival. Some of the men in her realm had dropped their weapons and fled the scene, preferring to live out the remainder of their lives as a coward to his nation, running just when things were too chaotic for others to notice their absence. Others stayed and fought, but ultimately died on the battlefield; however, their deaths were not in vain, for in the darkness of that very same night, those who had fallen were properly avenged.

Squall hadn't cared for the cowards who abandoned him, he beckoned their leave. It was his only wish to get rid of the enemy alongside those who shared his desire no matter what the cost, losing anyone who hadn't saw eye to eye with this wish was a given and a must. And again his order to charge bellowed across the land. The demented brunet charged ahead of the ranks and brought down his gunblade deep into the men's shoulders and limbs, pulling back the trigger of his gunblade to intensify the damage he would inflict. When witnessing the severing of one man's arm from his body, it was enough to make most of the Estharians and even some of Squall's troops pull back from the front line. The young man ripped through the crowd, injuring many in the process, avenging the things of his life that he had lost, taking back everything that was stolen from him. Their lives would make up for his lost, and he wanted as many of them as he could possibly take for his thirsts, for things lost were unconquerable.

He ran through, radiant gunblade extended at his side as he charged toward the enemy who had not seen his approach, for they were filled with laughter, rejoicing in their false victories. They had taken one look at Galbadia's great lack of men and felt the battle useless. The young man pressed onward, as unrelenting as the rain, his war cry sounding like the piercing call of a battle trumpet above their laughter. His presence instantly sliced through the fog where dozens of men's death cries followed.

The rage he felt, the hunger to kill. It was for his countrymen, his homeland, his mentor, his beloved father, for the love of his home and the pride of his mother, all of which had been stolen from him at such a tender age of his youth. He stood now, a man of his weapon, taking down Esthar, the vile enemies of Galbadia, one at a time for as long as he could persevere. With every battle his rage grew ever stronger and he was constantly reminded of his anger.

However, somewhere in the midst of the battle his rage and hate had been breached, and he became emotional out in the battlefield. Those battling at his side had to stop and wonder what purpose their current battle would serve now since the leading commander had gone berserk. They had sided with a man who would have probably killed them just for simply standing by and allowing Esthar's torment to continue, yet he was there fighting against the natural enemy of Galbadia itself but losing his grip within the tides of the battle. Were they now fighting for one man's cause or for the pride of Galbadia?

Suddenly, the soldiers abandoned the young man's side, one by one until he was alone on the battlefield against the remainder of a thousand of Esthar's men. Although full of rage and inhuman strength, he grew weary of his own power and was eventually overcome by hundreds of Estharian soldiers.

At that moment, Aida appeared to him in his thoughts, cursing his weakness and his naivety. She revealed herself a sorceress, the only sorceress of his time and had given him her true name which was Adel. She appeared at his side in the midst of the battle and whispered a spell that repelled all of the Estharian soldiers around him, keeping them at a great distance from her and her mighty Griever subject. She was pleased at his progress, but she wanted to witness the full power of the ring. Because the young man's heart was so desperate for a power greater than his own, he was granted that power, but at a cost, and she explained to him on that rainy night that he would never again be a normal human being.

He tried to escape her, running ahead, pushing farther than his tired legs would bear. It was then that he realized the current battle was not so far away from his first home, Winhill. He wasn't sure why, but he had pushed himself as far as he could until he collapsed out in the same spot where he had witnessed his mother's murder. His fingers dug into the grass, pulling up the earth while his eyes looked ahead of him. The night had finally subsided. The early morning dew clung to the trees. The smell of morning filled his face. When Squall brought his eyes up toward his hometown, there he saw the flower field.

To his surprise there was a woman standing in that field, basket in hand, and plucking up white roses. She seemed to pause for a second as if having spotted the young man in the field as well. Squall remained motionless until she continued picking flowers. Then, he felt a presence behind him. It was Adel, and she was laughing:

"Why would you _run _from me? Haven't I looked after you for all these years? Haven't I kept you in top health so that you could exact revenge against all those you hated for so long? I was like a mother to you. I was like everyone you ever lost, and _this _is how you repay me? You take everything that I can give to you away from me and expect me to just stand by while you burn yourself out with your futile vengeance list? No, my boy, there is much to do. Surely you don't think that the great lion has slept in your father's grave just to be used by a mere human such as yourself, do you? Griever will rise again, and Griever will answer to me! He will answer to me and to me alone! The people will want a savior from Esthar, and it will not be you, not you alone, that is. They will call out to me and laud _my_ power. Together, we will be unstoppable."

Squall released a heavy breath. He was tired. He hated relying on other people's power because it meant he would forever be in their debt. He hated that his strength wasn't his own, and if the ring had been stripped away from him at any second, he would've collapsed weakened and feeble, and most of all _nothing_. He brought his tired eyes upon her. Who was she to deceive him into creating a bond with such an unnatural beast? Who was she to demand his participation even when he had had enough? Not only was he physically weak, but he was also weak in the mind. To have fallen victim to a sorceress' schemes from the very beginning, it was preposterous.

Then it was there, with his eyes nestled upon his hometown that he had begun to think back on his life. How had she known of the ring in the first place? Had she singled him out since he had been a child? Had she watched him grow into the man that he was today, purposely causing those tragedies to occur in his life? Was it all for the sake of a legend that may or may have not even been real? Could she have possibly been behind everything that he had endured?

Squall rose from the ground weakly, drawing his radiant Lion Heart. He pointed the blade's tip toward her and her evil heart. His decision was final. The woman standing behind him picking roses realized she wasn't seeing things, there was a man standing outside of the village. Adel laughed and stepped forward toward the scared boy, "You wouldn't dare… I had sheltered you for so long. I came to your aid when no one else even cared about you! All of those villagers, even after you rescued them, they called you a fool! I was the only one who came to _your_ rescue. So you see. Do you really want to turn your sword on _me?_ In the end, you're no better than I am, or what these pathetic humans think of people like us, if '_people'_ is the right word to describe our chosen breed. You don't realize how divine your power is, because that ring will not react to just anyone. Griever waited patiently for the right soul, and I was a disciple of that legend. I knew that Griever would be restored in my lifetime and that I would be the one to do it. Now come Squall, fulfill your destiny!"

By this time, the woman with the flower basket had approached the gates of Winhill. Sorceress Adel snapped her fingers, and the boy instantly felt a nudge that came from his soul. He knelt down in agony first and cried out aloud.

And the events played out like a twisted fairytale. In that time, his body was no more and he now appeared in the form of the lion beast, Griever. The young man was shut within the soul of the beast just as Griever had been trapped inside of the ring, and he became the now living legend. Griever, granted a brief moment of liberty, expressed his gratitude to the sorceress; however, after having served an eternity of silence within the lonely steel prison of the ring, he at the exact moment of sharing his host's agony and rage of betrayal, struck out against the revealed sorceress and killed her before she could stretch forth her commands to him.

Somewhere before or during his transformation and the exchange of attacks, the woman standing in the flower field's blood had been shed and it colored the roses in hues of red. Squall, in his prison of darkness, saw this and cried in such great agony that the night had been restored and the sky darkened with ominous clouds.

At the dying sigh of Adel's breath, she connected his spirit to her own and passed Griever to the next able woman along with her sorceress powers.

Even with the liberation of his spirit, Griever is still compelled to follow the sorceress's everyday steps; however, because there is a new and living host unlike the cold metal of the ring, he is part owner of life and of freewill like that of Squall. Griever has simply exchanged his prison for that of another. The two share a common trait, having both been betrayed by a sorceress in the past, and with that absolute truth, they have promised that regardless of what is happening around them, they will find a way to liberation no matter what the cost.

Rinoa's eyes opened to the white of his shirt and the cold metal of his coat zipper pressing against her face. Her head was moving up and down slowly with the rhythm of his breathing and off tune with his heartbeat. He was warm and smelled of war, the beating of his heart was swift yet temperate. His chest was hard, but gentle enough to softly caress her face into a relaxed state. Even after witnessing an inlet into his hateful heart, she could not find the strength to move from his body, not that she wanted to.

In one motion, the girl moved her hand to the other side of his coat and squeezed the leather material between her fingers while whispering his name gently into the cold night. The fire she had fed again slowly danced in its base whilst its shadow colored itself around the walls, looking as if it were involved in silent laughter and threw itself about the cold brown walls for humor. Her eyes were entertained by its various shapes and motions for a little while before the tiredness of sleep overcame them and she was whisked away into the night.

He opened his eyes in a dark place. There was light above him shining into the cave where the top revealed a ceiling of icicles frozen stiff because of the cold air that poured in from outside. There was a body lying atop his, not a heavy one, but it was still there nonetheless. He moved his eyes downward while forcing his stiff neck to move down and found the top of her black hair resting against his chest. He was instantly flustered.

After having been reminded of his past, waking up to find an enemy in such close proximity frustrated him. He would've shaken her off immediately if he--if he hadn't have taken a moment to realize how long it was taking him to react. Yes, he admitted that there was some hesitation in moving her away from him. The brunet sighed softly and laid his head back against the cold ground, forcing his eyes to the icicles once more. They could probably fall at any moment, part of him wanted to do nothing to stop it from connecting; however, a simple voice whispered that she was there also but that voice said no more.

She sighed softly, tightening her grip on his coat, awakening but staying in place a bit longer. She was too afraid of revealing her status and having the moment of comfort snatched away from her prematurely. So she grinned and closed her eyes again, hoping that rest would come easily.

Squall looked down, realizing she was awake and aware of her actions. It would've been one thing for her to innocently gather close to him for the sake of being cold, but when she purposely closed the distance between them during the night, he would not allow it. He wouldn't allow her to get so close to him, especially not after being reminded of his true mission and his feelings toward her as a sorceress, but he found himself unable to remove her again. Why? Somehow, he even remembered hearing her voice at various times throughout his past. How was it possible? Had she been there the entire time with him? Urging him to continue and hoping for him to not give up?

He didn't understand her and probably never would. Instead of fighting to remove her, he simply allowed her to stay in place. He too could admit to being unusually comfortable this way. Slowly the brunet pressed his hands onto her lower back and closed his eyes.

"…You saw it, didn't you?" his voice was husky. Rinoa was surprised to hear his voice suddenly in the stillness of the cavern, and even more surprised to feel his hands encased at her back. The air was thin and silent when his voice returned again, "…My life?"

The girl took a soft breath and nodded her head first while answering, "Yes."

"Then why are you still here? Knowing that I could easily carry out my hatred…" he questioned, opening his eyes as his forehead filled with confused and angry lines. His voice failed to reflect that pain completely. "Adel…" he sighed, "…she had deceived me for most of my life. She was a sorceress who cared for nothing but the resurrection of Griever. I blame myself for being so weak, for being blinded by a chance for strength and not seeing through her lies. I wanted to forget what happened. I tried. …I was a fool to believe I could journey with you and not be reminded of my past."

His breath was shaky as he quieted his words for a mere second, letting the silence envelope them a moment longer before continuing, "…As of now Rinoa, my will contradicts yours. Where you seek life, I wish for your death. …We can no longer travel together this way."

Rinoa raised her head from his chest and looked down into his eyes horrified. She watched his eyes carefully, hoping to see the yellow glimmer flash, but there was none. His eyes continued in their cold blue, cold just as his heart. Her breathing ceased for a moment. He appeared as calm as stilled water, yet inside his blood stirred like a raging river. Rinoa looked down at his chest, and to the pendant that he still wore. The fact that he hated her as a sorceress was old news; he had already made it clear that he disliked her from the beginning, but what interested her most was that he hadn't killed her right then and there. She was sure that he was strong enough to end her life without further due, but for some reason, lady hesitation had him wrapped around her finger. Rinoa was thankful.

Although saddened that he wanted to part ways with her, she found herself relieved at his proposal. Perhaps it would only be temporary.

"Fine," the young woman answered, her voice as soft as a whisper. "I'll go on alone… If my being here brings you sadness, then I don't wanna stay and be a daily reminder of your losses. …Losing someone and being constantly reminded of that lost is unthinkable _and_ unbearable… So I understand what you might be going through, Squall."

"Don't even begin to pretend that you know me, Rinoa," he snapped. "You don't know anything about me."

"I know, but I know that you're not happy with me as I am, and nothing good can come from that. That's why I agree with you that it's for the best if we split up for now. You have a lot on your mind…"

"…" He had opened his mouth, but nothing came forth. He was speechless. Rinoa interpreted it as a way to continue.

"Because of you, I realize that there is something in my body, something I might not even be able to control…I'm sure it won't help anyone in this world. I may as well turn myself in and let them kill me for the monster I am, for the powers I possess," she spoke fluidly and diligently, her eyes staring off into an unseen abyss.

He squeezed his fingers around hers while sitting up and moving closer to her face, "If you died, you should know that someone will take your place. If you can't get your job done, then the next girl's life is on the line."

"What?" she finally faced him.

"The same way you 'inherited' your power, the next girl will receive those same powers from _you_. In the end, it's an ongoing cycle and you're all the same…scandalous, weak, and pathetic," His eyes burned with rage as he stared upon her face. Rinoa shook her head angrily.

"…Squall, let me tell you something. I _know_ that I'm a sorceress. I don't need you to keep reminding me of how horrible it is to be one, but go ahead, hate me. I don't care if you do or don't because you won't be alone in doing so anyway. But," She took a deep breath as if gathering her strength to complete her defense, "I won't tolerate you hating me as a person. I've done nothing but stand by your side, helping you… I've been fighting in my power to protect people who don't even want me around… Why…How can you hate me that easily? I'm not asking you to let go of everything that's ever happened to you because of a sorceress so quickly, I _know_ it's not easy. I just don't want you to keep categorizing me with them like I haven't been with you for the last month trying my best to be anything _but_ _this_," She had stated, expecting to receive no answer; her eyes failing to remain strong and tearless.

With the heat of their words, the chilliness dissolved all around them. Rinoa sat on her knees, her eyes continued to question his hatred. If he hated her so much, then why bother telling her about the traditional transfer of powers upon her death? Why couldn't he have just kept his mouth shut and let her go through with her possible plan of surrender? At least with her death, his wish would've been answered. Why did he have to make it so difficult? Why was it so easy for him to use the word hate? "Why?" Rinoa repeated softly.

"…I _have_ to," he responded in a voice that was cold like death, but his warmth entangled with hers and was filled with life. She was surprised by his answer. "You wouldn't understand…" he muttered into the brisk air, leaving Rinoa confused by his words.

Rinoa brought her hand out of his hold and reached up for his face, touching it to his cheek. No matter how much he claimed to hate her, she wouldn't accept it so easily; after all, she was able to look passed his eyes and see the truth. She was surprised that he hadn't made a fuss about her touching him more than anything else. Squall moved his hand to cover hers and closed his eyes for a moment, opening them again just as he had begun to speak. "You'll find things a lot different than before when you wake up. Somehow, I sense that something has escaped you, the uncontrollable thing that you fear. It's gone and now, it will spread like a cancer to this world. I need to find the Lion Heart now, and at the same time, I need to stop whatever it was that you've released. Rinoa," He stared into her eyes, peeling her hands away from his face and squeezing them tightly before dropping them. "You've only witnessed but a taste of my life… Griever was right to warn you about me. I won't deny that. Dig deeper and you'd find yourself wanting _nothing_ to do with me. Griever will always be with you as he is entitled to do so, so don't think you're completely alone, but you will have to fight your own battles from now on."

"…The next time we meet face to face," he continued in a mutter, "I _won't _be so nice."

She took a deep breath and licked her lips. In all his words spoken, he was correct about one thing when it came to her. "…I don't understand," she answered finally. "Why does it have to be this way? Why can't we try to work together?"

He narrowed his eyes at her words at first, but then softened them and breathed aloud, "Because…it's easier this way."

Rinoa woke up immediately to the smell of a burnt out campfire that was beside her. It had long gone out since she had fallen asleep when witnessing his life. She wondered if she had dreamt about talking to Squall afterwards, as he was unnaturally calmer than usual and allowed her to touch him so. Rinoa wondered just how long his mission would take and how long they would be apart; then again, maybe they would never continue their journey together. She wanted to tell him so much more than in the brief moment she was granted with him. Why had he left in such a rush? The girl crawled from her place on the ground and urged her steps toward the light, leaving the cavern they had taken shelter in behind. She needed to find him.

The snow was still at large. It seemed the weather was like a blizzard. When she looked ahead, she saw him standing there with his back turned toward her. Her heart instantly came back to peace. "Squall!" She yelled out to him in relief and excitement, running after him.

He hadn't responded.

Finally nearing him, she covered her arms fighting against the cold and approached him slowly. "Squall," she said again, reaching her hand out to him, but the girl was shocked to find that her hand had gone right through him. It was then that Squall vanished before her very eyes.

"Hey?!" She looked around herself trying to understand and found that Squall had appeared once more, but this time walking ahead of her a distance away. She travelled after him nervously. It seemed that no matter how fast she ran, she was never fast enough to catch him as he was always a minute in front of her.

_This is unreal. It's like he wants me to follow him. Is he trying to send me a message? _She questioned herself during the run. _Maybe he wants to show me a place to go! Squall…_ She found herself smiling, _Even though I know you'll never admit it, you do care about me…Don't you?_

On the other side of where she had run to, Squall was there, watching her in her sprint in the haven of snow. Having heard the words on her mind, he smiled faintly. He had found a place nearby known as Trabia. It was a small settlement where Rinoa would be safe for now, as that town had not received any known news of the new sorceress' appearance. Because of this particular location, he found that Griever had flown them closer to Esthar knowing how Squall felt about it. Regardless, Griever had flown them there for a reason.

Griever was part of him, indeed, but he chose not to heed the beast's warnings. It was through Griever that he was able to hear her thoughts as they pertained to him. He would've answered her, but felt it inappropriate. He needed to concentrate on seeking out his Lion Heart; hopefully, it was somewhere within his reach, and if not, he would learn more about the darkness that had left Rinoa's body. It seemed that Rinoa was less like her sister sorceresses after all, not that he'd be willing to tell her that much. If it weren't for holding his tongue, he might've very well responded to her bold observation of him, but as passive as he was about her blunt remarks, in the back of his mind he gently retorted, _whatever_.

Rinoa smiled again and trudged ahead to Trabia.

_

* * *

_

_Author's Corner:_

* * *

_I've changed the rating on this story because I find that the violence gets very gritty and disturbing from this point on, on the contrary, the plotline gets sweeter too. For the most part, the tone of language used in this and my other stories has always been mild and I will continue to keep it that way. I just felt it appropriate to give you all a heads up that the rating has been changed because of the violence and not for anything else that may or may not happen in the near future. It's not about reviews either. I love writing, and I'll continue to write even if I only receive one single review. My updates may not follow promptly, but I will still update nonetheless. I write when I'm inspired to, and if I feel a writing drought (or writer's block) tugging on my heart, then I won't write at all. If you've been quietly following the storyline all this time, I thank you for reading. To those who decide to review, I will try to reply to your reviews as best and as quickly as I can. Thanks for your time, I'm glad to be back: (Oh my god...it keeps uploading my story wrong!!!.....grrrr.)_

_StardustRay_


	15. Hints of an Angel

_**Judge not the man for his crimes, only his heart is at fault for such—even those most hideous.**_

_**Hints of an Angel**_

_**15**_

_Timber Plains, Galbadia—_

"Wedge, explain to me how you allowed a seventeen year old girl to escape you?" It was the voice of General Biggs, the man Wedge feared to hear at a time like this. His mind was at a loss for words. How could he describe his humiliation? So many soldiers' lives were lost. So much damage had been caused to Balamb. The walls enclosed in on him.

Despite the gusty winds across the plains of Timber that day, it could not carry the loose ends of the tent of his makeshift office. It, along with its four corners, remained mounted to the ground. The air inside was heavy. He had been alone for an entire day after the incident nearly two weeks ago in which he had lost to the sorceress. His mind steadily returned the images of his loss without mercy. It haunted him even in his sleep. He became restless at night when thinking about how to restructure his force of attack with so little men remaining. He lost more than half of his platoon during that attack, and if he were to request more men, the general would question his skill. He could not have the general concerning himself with such trifling matters, and yet he was now on the phone with the general himself.

"It won't happen again, sir."

"I realize she has the help of Griever."

"Yes, sir. That beast is invincible. Our weapons aren't strong enough, I'm afraid. We've already tried by assaulting the sorceress directly. Both my unit and the fallen Lieutenant's unit have ended in utter failure. However, with your permission to access the missile base, we could simply locate her and enter those coordinates, then fire away."

"Missile usage is only possible if the girl is still within Galbadia. You of all people should know that. If I fired missiles at her while she is in any other domain, it could pose a global threat and _we _would be pursued."

"I need more time to think of—"

"Sergeant Wedge, I have received complaints from Balamb which state that you handled your assault recklessly. Now there are people aiming to protect themselves from both the sorceress and our beloved army. We've lost their trust to a rebel's reproach, I hear.

"A rebel's reproach?"

"You didn't know? Where have you been this past week? I received reports from all over about a group of men docking their cruiser at various town ports and handing out weapons. They're encouraging the people to protect themselves from the sorceress and also from the Galbadian army. What have you to say about this matter?"

Wedge gulped first and then answered, "…We did our best, sir."

"How many years has it been since we've known each other Wedge?"

"Many years, sir."

"I'm certain you know what happens to those who fail me…"

"Yes, sir."

"Then you agree with me when I say that this matter is obviously out of your hands."

"I disagree. …It is not entirely out of my hands. We need time to study her—"

"I have already found a proper solution. I'm relieving you of your current orders as of now. Your new orders are as follows: You are no longer in charge of the sorceress' extermination. So long as she remains free, the world is not safe. Your remaining officers are to return to the main base and await further orders there. That is all."

When the lines were terminated, Wedge heaved a deep sigh and then slammed his fist against his hard oak desk.

In a matter of minutes he would have to address all of his remaining troops to deliver the disappointing news. Later that day, he stood before them with a heavy heart though his voice and stature seemed as if he were unbothered.

After having heard Wedge's new orders, Watts' eyes lowered to the ground. He was just starting to find his way in his scheduled platoon, now having to pick up and start all over again, he wondered if he were really cut out for a soldier's duty anyway. Some of the men had already went ahead with starting to pack up, but there were some who lingered about, wondering what to do next. They were thrilled about being able to hunt down the number one threat of the world, they were important. All that hard work, wasted.

The base became smaller that day. It seemed there was nothing left to do, but pack up and head back to Galbadia. Orders were orders. "Hey, that injured soldier's waking up," Watts' friend interrupted his personal thoughts.

"What did you say?"

"That soldier from the other squadron, the one in the coma—"

"He's up?" Watts repeated and followed after his jogging friend into the medical tent. There they saw the victim's eyes open, staring directly at the ceiling. "I didn't think he'd ever wake up."

The medic reading over his charts looked up from his worksheet, "Yeah, it's a downright miracle. This guy was bleeding internally. We stopped what we could and patched him up, but it seems like he's got a reason worth living. He must have someone important waiting for him at home."

"Yeah, you're probably right. What's his name, sir?" Watts asked finally.

"The others were identified and have been sent back home, their remains that is, but according to his tag, he's H. A. Zone: The only survivor of the sorceress' second attack, aside from the other six soldiers who left a while back. His eyes are open, but he's in a daze, hasn't said a word yet."

"Is that normal?" Watts' friend asked.

"We can only hope. Although his eyes may be open, his mind might still be trapped in that vegetative state. This is possibly the furthest progress he might have for now."

"So then that means he's probably still asleep?"

"Maybe," the medic sighed and placed the chart down. "I've got to check on something. Could you two keep an eye on him for now?"

"Sure, sir," Watts answered, and stepped aside at the door while the medic exited from the tent. Watts' friend closed his eyes while folding his arms.

"Honestly, I'm glad we're not continuing to pursue the sorceress. We might've ended up looking like this guy just for getting to close to her. I'd rather die than be locked away inside my own body like a prisoner. When I see stuff like this, it makes me wonder if I've chosen the right career." He opened his eyes and faced he floor. "I can't wait to get back. I don't exactly want to remain in this sort of field."

Watts stepped closer to Zone's bed and looked at the brunet's eyes, "This could happen to you even if you aren't in this field. You just need to be careful no matter where you are."

"You're right, maybe I should just dig a hole and hide then," he laughed and backed out of the tent. "Anyways, see you later. I'm gonna go pack up," the young man said as he exited completely. Watts glanced behind and then returned his eyes to Zone, who seemed to be moving his mouth slowly as if trying to speak.

"Hey…I think," Watts began, moving around to the side of the injured man's bed. "I think this guy's trying to say something." When he got closer to Zone's face, he heard him whispering inaudibly. The soldier shrugged his shoulders and backed away. "Do you know what's going on, sir?" Watts asked him. "Your eyes are open, can you see anything?"

But it was no use. However, Zone continued to mutter softly. Watts wondered if he could hear him at all.

"Hey, come on. I'm trying to communicate with you, you have to do something so I can know that you're trying to talk to me…or maybe you don't hear me at all," he sighed. "…Umm. Wiggle something…move your eyes, Blink!"

At his words, Zone blinked twice, but slowly.

"Alright! You _are_ talking to me, sir! But, uh, can you tell me what you just said, but slowly and a little louder?"

Zone blinked again. Watts moved his ear above Zone's lips and heard his words as he spoke them, repeating them aloud, "She's….an….an…angel? What?" Watts backed away and repeated his words again. "She's an angel. Is that it? She's an angel?"

Zone blinked once, which Watts interpreted as a 'Yes.'

"An angel, huh? Who's an angel?" Watts grinned, thinking back to the medic's words about the person of importance in which Zone would possibly awaken for. "Someone you know? Someone back at home…? A pretty girl, I bet." Watts lowered his ear to Zone's mouth again to listen, awaiting his answer.

"No?"Watts grinned, backing away first and then laughing out loud, "Then _who_ are you talking abou—" _The sorceress…? _Suddenly the need to laugh abandoned him. It was a horrible thought to digest. "You're not talking about…_her,_ are you?"

Zone blinked once, this time slowly allowing his eyes to close. He had exhausted himself. He was excited that someone had finally decided to talk to him, in all his time at the base in his recovery, not even the medics, but this other soldier finally tried to communicate with him and had succeeded. He was so excited that he expended his energy for that day, and decided that it was enough for now. He fell into a normal sleep with a confused Watts, bewildered by his newest findings.

"Was he blinking again or just going to sleep?" Watts stared down at him, and then turned away from the soldier's body. "…An angel," he whispered. "An angel of death is more like it, sir."

Twenty minutes passed and he was still there, seated now, but still confused. Watts folded his arms and held his breath. _What would make him call her an angel even after sustaining all these injuries that she caused? Maybe he's delusional…or probably under some sort of spell. Wait a minute, is that possible? If that's what's happening to him, then I can't just stand here. I've got to tell the sergeant. We could all be in danger. _

Just then, the medic entered the tent, sifting through notes and documents. "Is he asleep again?"

"Yeah," Watts answered, lowering his arms. "He didn't do much, but I guess it exhausted him."

"I'll say. He's gonna be like this for a couple more days, and then we might start to see more progression. It's a good thing we're going back to the main base. I may not be able to keep up this constant watch on my own. The other medic was killed in the attack in Balamb."

"I heard about that, sir."

"Well then, I don't mean to keep ya. I have to start packing this place up pretty soon. If you're not doing anything, why don't you stop by and help me pack up here."

"Sure," Watts nodded his head, glad to be of services. "I just need to speak to someone for a moment. I'll be back later, sir."

"Thanks."

Watts left the medical tent immediately and jogged to the sergeant's tent only to find a soldier standing out front on guard duty. The soldier stopped Watts from proceeding, "The sergeant's not seeing anyone at the moment. Please come back later."

"But sir, it's serious. I need to speak with him right away."

"Stand down, soldier. I'm on strict orders not to let anyone in, you hear? There's no way you're getting in here."

"Well could you pass along a message for me?"

"No way, I haven't had a single pay cut yet, and I'm not about to sacrifice my check for you."

"That's fine, sir, but it's about the soldier in the coma. He woke up today and I had a little chat with him."

"What did you say?" Wedge's voice boomed from inside the tent, having heard the entire conversation the whole time.

"Yes, sir, he woke up, sir. …Permission to enter, sir!"

"Permission granted, let him in private."

"Yes, sir," the soldier standing guard said as he moved aside so Watts could slide through the tent entryway with no problem. Once inside, Watts present a strong salute. Wedge ordered him to at ease, and he fell back into a casual stance.

"What were you saying about that kid?"

"He woke up today, sir. He was really weak though, and I was able to talk to him for a brief moment."

"What did he say to you?"

"Not too much, sir, but he mentioned something that I, no matter how much I try to deny it, I think it seems to be in reference to the sorceress. He referred to the sorceress as an 'angel,' sir."

"…An angel?"

"Yes, sir. Could it be a sign that his mind has been brainwashed by her, sir? I have reason to believe he may have fallen under a spell of some sort."

"With a sorceress, anything is possible; however, if that soldier is still in a weak condition, we shouldn't have to worry too much about being in any danger. Even if she brainwashed him, he can't move from the bed for now, correct? Was that all private Watts?"

"Yes, sir. I-I just thought it was interesting and felt that you should know too."

Wedge's eyes fell down to his desk, staring a moment. "What are you suggesting, Watts?"

"…Suggesting, sir?"

"Do you _believe_ he's being controlled by her or don't you?"

Watts' stance shifted momentarily. _Do I believe…? Me? _"…Sir, it's not my place to 'believe' anything, sir."

"….Then why would you tell me about what he said?"

"…Sir…" Watts stared down at the floor. "I felt we might have been under some sort of danger. Other than that, I don't know why I told you that, sir."

Wedge stood from his seat and placed his hands behind his back, looking over at his file cabinet.

"I spoke with the general, I'm sure you know that. Do you know what he said to me today, Private Watts?"

"…Only what you relayed to us earlier, sir. Our orders are to withdraw and head back to the base."

"Come in closer, Watts," Wedge muttered. Watts' frame shook briefly and then he took a step forward closer to the desk. Wedge was pleased. "…The general has also relieved me of my title over you. Technically, I'm no longer in charge of you once we reach Galbadia. Do you know why I'm telling you this, Watts?"

"…Am I in trouble sir?"

Wedge laughed and took a deep breath, then faced Watts slowly. "No, far from it… The general and I have been friends for a long time. When you've come to know a person on that level, you are also able to discern when they are serious or not. Today, the general was serious, but the friend that I knew once seemed to have more than he was willing to tell. He mentioned a group of rebels who have been giving weapons to townspeople and slandering the Galbadian Army. Why do you think he told me that, Watts?"

"…Because…he wants you to do something about it?"

"But if he really wanted me to do something about it, he would've given me different orders, correct?"

"Yes, sir. But…Uhh, w-what does this have to do with what that guy told me, sir? I didn't know him before today."

"The fact that you went in to see about him when you heard that he woke up shows that you had hoped to initiate a friendship with him. Secondly, you've reported what he said to me because you either truly believe he's a threat or deep down…" Wedge stepped beside his desk, "You're wondering if he's right."

"Sir…"

"I will be sure to keep a close watch on the soldier from now on, but I have new orders for you, Watts, my _last _orders for you."

"Sir!" Watts saluted him quickly.

"You are to speak of these orders to no one. Am I understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"Private Watts, you are to investigate this mysterious cruiser. It is said to have docked at harbor cities and have supplied the people with weaponry. Find out exactly how they are obtaining these weapons and under whose authority do they follow. Once you know those key details, please return to the base and speak to me only. Do what you must to obtain this information, even if you have to become one of them for a while. Proceed carefully. You must leave by nightfall. Am I clear?"

"Very clear, sir."

"I do not trust this assignment with anyone else, but because you have shown me your dedication a number of times, I believe you are perfect for this assignment. I have high hopes of you, Private Watts. Are there any questions?"

"Sir, I have only one question."

"What is it, soldier?"

"…Do _you _believe what he said, sir? About the sorceress, sir…if you don't mind my asking."

Wedge sighed and turned away from Watts quickly. "Like you, Watts, I'm in no position to believe anything either. If there's one thing this job has taught me, it's that no matter what is occurring around you, you've got to follow orders—however, there are moments when even I feel that my orders are not always what's right. I worked along with him before he became our general, and yet today, I felt as though I hardly recognized him. I've had a lot of time to think, but I still can't come up with an answer for it…."

"An answer to what, sir?"

"…Your question. It's more out of curiosity…" his eyes appeared ghostly as he recalled the beast's words spoken into his mind. _"IF IT HAD NOT BEEN FOR HER INTRUSION, I WOULD HAVE SLAUGHTERED YOU AND ALL OF YOUR MEN. CONSIDER YOURSELVES BLESSED THAT THE SORCERESS HAS SPARED YOUR LIVES THIS TIME!"_Why would the great lion go through the trouble of even saying anything to them? Maybe the injured soldier was on point when it came to the new sorceress' desires. However, he was in no position to share this knowledge with his superiors because he would be named weak and a traitor. The thought was mind-numbing, but it was starting to make sense of what was left of his mind. "…Perhaps I've said enough for now."

"Uh, I see, sir," Watts lied. He hardly understood his answer.

"You have your new orders, soldier. Now rest up and prepare to leave."

"Yes, sir. Oh, and the medic will need a hand packing up since we're short men."

"I understand. I'll take care of it then," Wedge faced him again and grinned. "Good luck, Watts."

"Thank you, sir," Watts saluted him and then marched out of the tent. Wedge lowered his eyes to the floor.

Because the so-called rebels were directing their guns toward Galbadia and the sorceress, they were bound to come across her path soon. Having Watts stationed at such an opportunity was a risky move, but it would allow them to know what else the army was up to which it had failed to tell him. Without the young soldier knowing it, he would become Wedge's eyes and ears to the truth. If anyone aside from the two of them knew of this plan, they would both be sent to prison.

Watts did exactly as he was instructed and left later that night. Because the ship had been said to visit harbor towns, he decided that Dollet might be a good place to start. It was the only place reachable by foot, and it was not far away from their campsite. He took to his compass and began to walk the distance, making sure that once he was out of the sight of the base, he changed his clothing. He kept the boots on because they were built for walking long distances. Everything else, aside from his dog tag, he threw away. Watts tied a scarf over his hair and prepared to take the longest jog of his life.

* * *

"Are you going to be leaving soon, Zell?" Mrs. Dintch yelled from downstairs. Leaving Balamb so soon after returning to find things somewhat back in order, except for the mysterious cruiser that appeared time and time again, handing out weapons to everyone and getting the people rowdy about war.

"Yeah, Ma!" he yelled from his bed and closed his eyes.

At the sound of their boots stomping together and marching through the town, Zell rose up out of his bed. He walked to the window to look down at the street from his room. They were at it again, the town's newly formed militia, patrolling Balamb as if Galbadia had orders to return for a second strike. He had been back in town after hearing about the attacks to be sure that his mother was okay. He was surprised Dobe allowed him to go on his own. He was certain Ward would've joined him, but it seemed that Ward's injury had worsened and he would most likely never speak again. Even if Ward gave him a hard time in the past, he would never wish such a fate on anyone. Other than that, Zell was glad to be alone. It was nothing he couldn't handle on his own anyway, so he was grateful.

He stayed in Balamb for a bit helping the people to get back on their feet, but was surprised to find a group of unknown men onboard the cruiser nearby handing out weapons to everyone. They even offered him some of the weapons, but Zell refused explaining that he didn't have a need for guns since he only cared for hand to hand combat. It was good to see that the people found a means of cooperating together at a critical time, but things seemed to be going a bit overboard.

"Zell, why don't you go to the store and stock up on some goods before you head out, dear…?" His mother spoke outside his room door, bringing him out of his thoughts. He folded his arms and brought his eyes up to the sea. Heading back to FH would be simple since he was given a nice sized fishing boat to tough out on the sea alone. It was a short distance between FH and Balamb, and the fishing boat made it an even smoother sail, a lot better than his speedboat, he thought.

"I really don't need to get anything, Ma, I'll be alright," Zell said, walking toward the door and opening it, finding her heading back downstairs.

"I'm just making sure you'll be okay. I don't have anything else here. I've given it all out since the attacks."

"Speaking of that, why don't you come with me to FH? Who knows if they'll be back this way…?"

"I'd be glad to go, but I can't leave everyone else here. They'll go crazy without me here," she laughed and faced him in the living room. "As long as I know you're okay, then I'll be fine here."

"Yeah, well, Galbadia's only chasing after the sorceress and if she comes back this way, they'll be right back here too."

"…Another sorceress," the woman groaned. "…Can't they just live out peacefully somewhere?"

Zell lowered his eyes to the floor first thinking about the girl named Rinoa who had been a stowaway on his ship.

"…From the looks of things, I think it's Galbadia that's being overly hostile," he put his hands on his hips.

"What are you saying Zell? You haven't actually met this sorceress, have you?"

"I'm…I'm not quite sure," he grinned. "…It was just a girl fitting their description of her. They were pursuing her and we didn't realize she snuck onboard our boat. Strange things started happening right after that, and then we heard Galbadia's warning. I don't know why Ma, but she seemed like a regular person, like a regular girl around my age. She was scared, and she didn't look dangerous at all," he scratched his head. "I think Galbadia's after the wrong person, honestly."

"Zell, you've always had a good heart, and you've grown into a wonderful young man because of it, but I don't want you to be tricked so easily, son. You have to be careful. They say that sorceresses can play evil mind tricks on you."

"Yeah, well, she wasn't pulling any tricks on me, that's for sure. She helped me out too," the blond leaned on his left leg and stared into his mother's hazel eyes, "…There's something different about her, nothing scary. Everything was gentle when she was there. Call me crazy, but if I saw her again, I'd probably like to help her out."

"You'll do no such thing," her eyes reddened. "No son of mine's getting mixed into that kind of trouble. You managed to survive out there before, but I don't want to hear about anything happening to you because you're chasing after a girl who may be the sorceress that Galbadia is after. Something terrible could happen to you, Zell. Don't make me worry like that."

"Ma, I'll be alright. I'm not gonna do anything stupid. Just forget I said it," he grumbled, sometimes he wished he could just forget to say the ideas that he hadn't thought through also.

"How can I? I know once your mind is set on something, there's no stopping you," she sighed. "You're a very good fighter, but I still want you to be careful. Just go back to FH and stay put there. I trust you'll follow through and make wise decisions, Zell."

"Of course I will, don't worry," his grin widened. He was sure to follow through and make _somewhat _wise decisions indeed. "…So, did you need something back from the store while I'm going out?"

"Just a few things, if it's no trouble."

"No trouble at all, let me have it." When he had gotten her request list, he was off down the street to the main drugstore. Zell turned for a sharp right turn passed the junk shop bumping into the short blacksmith who was dressed in a coat and hat, dropping his box of tools everywhere. "Whoa, sorry Mr. Colts!"

"Zell!" The blacksmith groaned, kneeling down and retrieving his tools from the ground. Zell went down to help him as well. He came across an old Weapon's Monthly catalog with a picture of a gunblade inside.

"Wow, what a unique looking weapon," Zell exclaimed, only to have the book snatched away from his hands and shoved into the box again. "Sorry…"

"Don't mention it," Mr. Colts muttered and took a deep breath.

"Where are you in a rush to anyway?" The crowds were moving along behind them, people chasing after the militia on the move. Kids jogged by with replica guns and knives to follow along as well.

"Blast that cruiser docked out there…I've lost my customers to their giveaways," the old man grumbled, staring at men who had their weapons displayed out in the open, swapping idle chatter with others who had received the same handouts.

"Oh, sorry to hear that," Zell looked down at the box and to the disheartened blacksmith. He had been in the neighborhood since before Zell could remember. "Are you leaving for good?"

"…Maybe, maybe not…" he shrugged his shoulders, "…I feel as though my time has come."

"Oh, you're going to open up shop elsewhere?"

"No," he smiled. "…I never thought I'd be granted a quest like this."

"Um, Mr. Colts…" The blond stared at him strangely as the older man stroked his fuzzy beard. "What are you talking about?"

"Something beyond you Zell…I don't think I should speak of it or else I might talk myself out of doing it altogether."

Zell folded his arms. Now he was interested. At his motion, the old man realized he would not leave until everything was out in the open. The old man frowned and looked at the ground.

"Should've kept my mouth shut, shouldn't I?"

"You should've…" Zell grinned. "So, what are you up to anyway?"

"In short, I'm going to take advantage of this stand still and go item hunting," he set the box back onto the ground and grabbed the book that Zell had noticed before. "…Not just any normal item hunt. I'm going to build a weapon…"

"A weapon…?"

"_This_ gunblade," he turned the page back until it revealed a gunblade with a dark blade. "I made one of those recently and had the strangest encounter ever. Ever since that young man past through here, strange things have occurred. People have even begun to say that Galbadia's main target was the sorceress, right?"

"Yeah, it's the new sorceress they're after."

"I don't know why, but I have a feeling that young man has something to do with it. It's a sign of the times. I can't even begin to tell you… He was something special, I'm sure of it. I wonder what happened to him."

"Hey gramps," Zell cut in thinking back to the guy who had told him Rinoa's name. He caused Ward to lose his voice. "This guy, what did he look like?"

"…He was a young man around your age, no doubt. He was really interested in that gunblade I made. He seemed to have some skills with it too, so I let him take it and bid him farewell. Maybe it's just the rambles of an old man, but I feel like that won't be the last time I see that boy." He released a soft chuckle, "Call me crazy, but I'm finding a sense of adventure from all this. This might be the first time that I've set out for materials so far away on my own. The way Galbadia fired those missiles all over the place; I doubt they were even thinking about our well being. Anyway, to hell with them, I'm going to build a strong weapon and hope that he drops in again someday to take it with him."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Gramps, you're going out in the wild to find materials _alone!" For a guy like that? _Zell would've added but charged his mouth to stop.

"I'm a blacksmith for heaven's sake. It would be a crime to know how to make a weapon and _not_ be able to use one, don't you agree? I'll be fine on my own."

"Yeah, I know what you're saying, but it's dangerous out there, Gramps. You could get killed."

"Sunny, this here's an assignment from fate. Lady Fate will steer my path and she determines what happens to me in the end," he smiled.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I don't think we bumped into each other by accident. If it's _fate _you're running on, then this was a chance encounter."

"Zell, I can't let you come with me. Your mother would kill me."

"Come on Mr. Colts, where's your sense of adventure," the blond smirked. "Besides, I have a funny feeling that I've met this guy you're talking about."

"Was he carrying a gunblade with him?"

"No—"

"Then it can't be—"

"But he _was_ a stowaway on our cargo ship and most likely made an escape to Balamb. It happened about two or three weeks ago."

The old man froze in place, staring past Zell. It had been a couple of weeks since that very day when the black clothed teen entered his shop, there was no denying it. Maybe the blond teen's destiny had been intertwined with his all along. Zell looked upon the list and chuckled.

"What do you say, old timer? You _need _me. How are you gonna get around anyway? They're not letting anyone ride the usual boat and I doubt you can find a Tonberry's chef knife anywhere in Balamb or Galbadia. …Look at these materials… Star Fragments? You need brawn to get these, and I'm _all_ brawn—and brains of course."

"…The dreaded T-Rexuar," the blacksmith muttered, bringing his eyes back to Zell's as Zell lowered the book from his face. "Very well Zell, but speak of this to no one else."

"Like I'd really blabber something like _this_ out to anyone with Galbadia high on alert for the sorceress or any info pertaining to her…" the blond immediately silenced his words. Who knew what the old man would think if he knew that the mysterious man was travelling with the sorceress. He wanted to help her out, but he also wanted to know the intentions of the enigma that accompanied her. Maybe he would even be given a chance to have him take back the spell he placed on Ward. "I've got a quick errand to run for my mom, and then I'll meet you at the docks. My boat's docked there. You can wait for me. I'll be there in a little while."

"Very well," the old man grinned and started up the road to the docking area. Zell took a deep breath and continued to the store with a look overhead at the blue sky. A chance encounter such as this one was something he could not easily turn away. Just as the blacksmith had mentioned before about feeling as though he would see him again, Zell felt the same way. If there was something he could do, some way to help out, he wanted to be there. He refused to believe the girl was a threat. His only concern was the mysterious guy she travelled with. He seemed a bit shiftier than he could ever imagine her being.

Maybe the army was focused on the wrong person?

Approximately fifteen minutes later, Zell finished his errand and rendezvoused with the blacksmith. "So gramps, where are we headed to first?" Zell asked as he climbed aboard his boat with the old man, preparing to depart.

"…I need to stop in Dollet first to visit an old friend of mine. He has a few supplies that will prove useful to us along our travels."

"Dollet it is," The blond smiled.

"Zell, wait a minute," he frowned. "You don't have any other place to be right now, do you? This isn't exactly a luxury cruise and it will take some time to find these materials."

"I know that, but we'll be alright. Besides, everybody's a bit shaken up about the sorceress' appearance, and nobody's expecting me back anytime soon. Ma thinks I'm at FH, FH thinks I'm in Balamb, it's perfect. Anyway, nobody there would miss me. This is much more important than sitting still in fear. I honestly think this'll be quite the adventure, gramps."

"Quite an adventure indeed," he smiled.

"Right, so let's go!" Zell cheered and started his boat up. Soon they had set sail out in the horizon, their destination: Dollet. The ride was an enduring. If he weren't steering, Zell was quite sure he would be pacing the floors nervously. At last they reached Dollet's port with nothing more than the orange sunset to guide them.

As he pulled his boat to the docking port, others gathered nearby in curiosity. More people were beginning to expect the return of the famed weapon cruiser. With Galbadia quietly hiding away for the past week, the people thought it was the best time to supply themselves with weapons. They were quite disappointed when the boat turned out to be a smaller version of a fishing vessel and abandoned his port as quickly as he docked.

"I know I'm popular in Balamb, but I've only been here a few times. Sorry to disappoint…" he grinned while fanning them off. Zell looked back at Mr. Colts who shrugged his shoulders and gathered his backpack for the quick trip.

"Well boy, I'll be on my way then. I need to speak with a friend."

"What do you need to discuss?"

"That's between us, but if you _must_ know, it's a map with all of his precious hunting places circled. He wouldn't normally show another merchant his secrets, but we go way back, so he'll be kind enough to show it to me. In the meantime, I need you to wait here for me, Zell. I can't bring you with me; otherwise he'll know I'm up to something out of the ordinary."

"I understand. Just don't do anything stupid…like, steal his map or something. I don't need to go up against any bruisers anytime soon."

"Our first day and already you're scared to get your hands dirty? Sounds like I should rethink my partner choice…"

"Don't get me wrong, I'll help you out, but I'm not going to prison for you."

"Fair enough," he shot with a grin. "I'll be back. Take care of yourself and stay out of trouble."

"Stay out of trouble? I'm not a kid…" Zell argued, but by then, the blacksmith was already off of the boat and walking in the small village. Zell stepped off the boat and took a seat on a crate that was nearby. He faced the sunset and stared. _Almost night…wonder what the boys in FH are up to? I wonder if they're thinking about me…maybe they think I'm quitting and going back to Ma. I hate that someone there probably thinks exactly that about me, Ward for one would say that. Ward would say a lot of things, but he can't now. Geez, maybe that's a bit harsh. I wonder how long that injury's gonna keep him silent like that. It really sucks. Never liked the guy much, but he was my coworker…and he saved my life during that attack at sea. I owe him one, right? That's why I need to do this. I need to find that guy, the one who did that to him…who was he? He was travelling with her…Rinoa. That was her name, wasn't it? I wonder what happened to them. Where are they now?_

"S'cuse me, sir!" A young and energetic man interrupted Zell's solemnity. "…Is your boat operative?"

"Yes," Zell answered unsurely.

"Great, how much is it going to cost for a ride to Balamb? I need to get there A.S.A.P. sir-I mean…_dude._"

_What the hell…? He sure sounds funny. _"…Well, my boat's working, but I'm not running a business here. I can't take you to Balamb, so you'll have to ask someone else."

"Gee, that's kind of a bummer because I already asked everyone here," he thumbed behind at all the others standing around or sitting at their docked boats.

"Sorry, I can't help you out. I just got back from Balamb, and I'm not going to be heading there for a while. There are others who travel there regularly, but I ain't a regular so buzz off."

"You don't understand sir, I need to go to Balamb because I really need to get to that infamous cruiser!"

"What would you want to do with _that_ cruiser?"

"That's top secret info, sir."

"Then my boat's closed," Zell huffed, rolling his eyes.

"So if I told you why I need to get to Balamb to see that ship, you'll get me to Balamb?"

"…Uh, more or less…"

Watts growled and looked away. "I'm not saying anything sir if you can't take me there."

"Well, to be honest, if I was alone I'd take you there, but I'm actually waiting for someone. We just got back from Balamb and—"

"Was it there, sir? The cruiser?"

"No, not that I remember…I think it was just preparing to leave or probably already gone."

"Dammit…Where could they be?"

Zell took a serious interest in the curious man standing on the stairs before him. The blond leaned forward in his seat and tilted his head,"….Okay, so why do you need to get to that cruiser?"

"I, uhh, I've been inspired to!" Watts fidgeted first and then came up with the perfect scheme. "Ever since I was little, I didn't have much love for Galbadia. So I've always wanted to sock it to them real hard, you know? When I heard that there was a revolution and a rebel army starting, I knew this was my chance and my dream! I have to, have to, have to get onboard! I want to dedicate everything to them and I need to get to Balamb so I can help out wherever I can!"

Zell stared at him wide eyed for a moment and then sighed, "…I don't think I've ever seen anyone so dedicated to anything before." The blond sat back in his seat and smirked. "Hey man, I admire your determination, but you should know that they're up to no good. A scheme like that can only end in battle, and if you're not careful, you _could_ get killed. And no offense, but you don't really look like you can handle much. Maybe it's good if you don't run into them."

"Say what you want," Watts growled, "at least _I have_ a dream. I'm gonna do anything to get on that cruiser!"

"What makes you think I don't have one? So I'm worthless because I can't help you get to Balamb?"

"Perhaps…" The short brunet placed his hands on his hips.

"For all you know my dream could be riding on that person I'm waiting on. If I leave with you to Balamb, I might miss out on my own dream for something you probably can't even handle."

Watts looked away from him realizing how selfish he was beginning to sound, "…I didn't think about that."

"Now that you _are _thinking about it, get your lousy ass away from my boat. Like I told you before, somebody else can probably take you where you need to go."

"…I've already tried that, but they keep telling me that there's no clearance to sail across seas yet. You're the first boat to arrive here, sir. As a matter of fact, the only ship on the move aside from yours _is _that battle cruiser. That's why I rushed over here when I heard that somebody was docking. These days, everyone's afraid to sail because of the monster that was in the water attacking all the ships, but they're afraid of the sorceress even more. I heard that some people are even afraid Galbadia will destroy the towns in search of her, sir. It's scary, but somehow…when I think about my mission, I realize I'd be helping out. If I were too afraid, I wouldn't be able to take on anything. I'd only hide here like everyone else. I wouldn't want to go overseas to that battle cruiser and put my life on the line. When I think about the people I could be helping, even just one," _Sergeant Wedge, _"I'm willing to go forward. I want to know more about who our true enemy is."

"…And who might that be?"

"…Uhh, haven't figured it out yet, sir." Watts scratched his head.

"Damn, if it weren't for that response, I would've been bought," Zell chuckled.

"What?" Watts frowned and back stepped once down the stairs. "This is hopeless…"

"Well, I already told you that I'm not going anywhere till my friend gets back," the blond answered and rose from his seat on the crate.

"Fine, I understand," the young soldier shrugged. Even though a ride was out of the question, he became curious of the stranger, even more so about this dream which he hadn't yet revealed. "Where are _you_ going to go?"

"Not sure," Zell faced his eyes to horizon once again. "_He_ has the map, and I have the boat."

"…So, is this part of your dream?"

"More or less…" The young man glanced behind to Watts, who was taking a step upward now.

"I'd like to know, sir," he said quietly.

"Sorry, that's personal. I don't like to share with complete strangers," he fanned him away, continuing to stare at the choppy waves of the ocean. If he were alone, he would stay out and enjoy the salty breeze that wafted in.

"But I just told you my dream!" Watts whined, pointing at Zell accusingly.

"You gave that information voluntarily. There was never any _real_ pressure for you to tell."

"So what? It's only fair if you did the same."

"Pu-lease, I don't have to say _nothing_… I don't even know your name," the blond said while facing him finally.

"I'm Watts, sir, what's your name?"

"Zell, and please stop calling me sir. I'm not some admiral…"

"Sorry, sir, it's part of my training, sir."

Zell frowned. _What the hell is wrong with this guy?_

"So, since we're not strangers anymore. What does your dream have to do with this boat?"

"…It's not really my dream, but the clues were left by fate. Something tells me that I'm supposed to be here and for the first time in my life, I feel important…that I'm helping. Hopefully, things work out and I'll get to see it through. I'll get to my destination in one piece. And that's all I can say about that," Zell slapped his hands together and folded his arms with a confident grin.

"That's it?" Watts rested a hand on his hip, "I was thinking you had everything laid out for you, but it sounds like you're just forcing your way into 'fate'. That's lame, sir!"

"What?" Zell's jaw dropped, "You've got to be kidding me!"

"I'm just kidding sir!"

"The hell you are! I can't go into details because it's personal."

"…In this case, you should, because it sounds like you're just going along with somebody else's dream. You said you're waiting for someone, right? So…Is it your idea or this other person's? It might not be a good idea to tagalong."_ I'm one to talk…I'm only here because of my orders, but I wanna know the truth too._

"…I'm not tagging along like a leech. I volunteered my time because I know it'll take me to _my _dream."

"Which is…"

"I told you, it's too personal."

"Oh come on, you might as well tell me. After today, I'm quite sure we will never see each other again."

Zell leaned on his leg a bit and rested his hand on his hip. "You know, I didn't think about that." A new grin appeared and widened. "Yeah, about that, don't get killed on that cruiser."

"Don't go drowning at sea, sir."

"Like I'm really going to…" Zell huffed. "But lemme say this…I'm hoping to find out who the real villain is too, whether or not it truly _is_ the sorceress…or maybe even Galbadia. I'd like to know for myself. These days, you can't exactly trust the media or the army, and I have a feeling I'll find out when I travel with this guy," Zell motioned his head behind him to his fishing boat.

"Tell me," Watts began, lowering his voice. "Do you think the sorceress is…good?"

"I didn't say that… I just want to be able to distinguish fact from fiction."

"And on the slight chance that she _is_ good…what would you do? …Would you help her out?"

"…I've got nothing to say about that."

Watts brought his deep brown eyes in line with Zell's. "…I've heard someone describe her as an angel."

"Not hard to understand why that was said," he shrugged. "…She really doesn't seem like the convict type, but maybe it was because our time was brief…"

"You mean you've met her?" Watt's eyes widened.

"Wait," the blond froze. "…Who are we talking about again?" Zell smiled.

"?" Watts stood there completely frozen, his eye twitching a bit as Zell laughed and took a seat again.

Suddenly a loud horn sounded across the docks and all heads turned to observe the oncoming vessel. Out at sea, a black cruiser could be seen on the horizon. Zell stood from his seat quickly, leaning on the boards at his pier. Watts faced the ocean and stared until the vessel came within focus. "There it is!"

"Looks like you don't need anybody's help at all. Talk about great timing," Zell glanced at him and then returned his eyes to face approaching ship.

"Hey Zell," Watts tore his eyes away from the scene first only to stare at Zell's back. "You _were_ you talking about _her, _weren't you_?_"

Zell nodded once, but felt as if someone were approaching them from behind. When he turned around, he saw the old man on his way back. He looked at Watts quickly and shrugged his shoulders, "…Anyways, don't go spreading that around, hear? I don't need anybody looking for me."

"Sure thing, it's safe with me, sir!" Watts said, taking backward steps down to the ground level again.

"Good. Looks like my company's arrived too, so I've gotta be going now. Take care of yourself, Watts."

"Yeah, Zell…" Watts took a deep breath. "…If it's okay with you, I wanna tell you to be careful. I know that we've all probably got the wrong idea about her, but she's still dangerous. So if you get close to her, be on your guard."

"Naturally," Zell grinned. "Get outta here, man! Meet them at the dock. They'll probably give you some work."

"Great! Take care, sir!" Watts said, turning around and running to the dock expected for the cruiser's arrival. He pushed past Mr. Colts in a hurry causing the old man to stop and follow his pace. The blacksmith quickly realized that the cruiser had arrived on the scene. He hadn't noticed it on his way back from the town as his nose had been glued to the new editions to his map. Now that it was there to pollute Dollet with its suspicious toxic fume like aroma, he turned his nose up at it and continued walking toward Zell's boat.

"I swear that damned ship is following me," he said while taking the steps up to the docked fishing boat.

"They love your business, that's why," the blond grinned.

"This is no time for jokes, Zell. I have our coordinates right here. Are you all fueled up and ready to go?"

"Are you kidding? My baby's completely stocked to the roof. Just tell me where to go and we're there."

"Excellent," the Mr. Colts smiled with his snowy mustache advancing his upper lip. "Alright, get to it!"

"…Hey, hey, don't order me around, old man. This is _my _boat and that makes _me_ captain."

"Well the captain can't go anywhere without his navigator, so hop to it."

"…Dammit," the blond grumbled, walking into the boat's cabin to fire it up again. As Zell pulled out of Dollet's dock, the battle cruiser had finally pulled in. An ominous cloud loomed over it, bringing darkness to the sky. The sun had finally set, peculiarly hastening with the ship's arrival.

Watts along with others who had gathered at this dock seemed to shrink in comparison with the cruiser, it towered them like a great castle over mice. He swallowed a large lump in his throat at its site. _I have to do this…_ _Sergeant Wedge is depending on me._

When it was properly docked, a tall blonde appeared on the parlor in the blink of an eye. Everyone was so fixated on the size of the ship that they completely missed her daring exit. She was tall and skinny, but appeared strong and stern. The square glasses caught her thin nose and boasted her fairly plumped lips. There was a strange glow emanating from her eyes, like daisies caught in direct sunlight, but it seemed as though it captured no one else' attention but Watt's. The woman remained quiet, yet her very presence sent an eerie chill down his spine. She stretched her arms up above her head, with the orange body suit clinging to her athletic body frame, and lowered them like a dancer taking her greatest bow before her audience. She then took a deep breath and began walking down the short boardwalk to land.

Watts was awestruck. Acting out of fear, he lifted his hand up first and waved. His nervousness caused him to stumble on his words, "H-h-h-ello there, I wanna volunteer! Can I…can I help out?"

Quistis walked down the steps in her tall, black boots with resounding footsteps. She passed him by without as much as a glance. The mysterious woman parted the crowd of men and women, pacing into the small town of Dollet. Watts' eyes were glued to her until someone bumped into him, knocking him off balance for a second. When he looked up at this person, he saw a sinister man with blond hair and green eyes, wearing a long and heavy looking cloak with a glare aimed for the female walking ahead of him. For a split second this man's eyes shifted and locked with Watts'. In that moment, Seifer stared at him pathetically and then followed after the woman who continued to the houses scattered abroad Dollet. Watts was left feeling as insignificant as a little insect amongst elephants.

After a moment, the horn sounded from the vessel again. It appeared that it was preparing for departure.

"Oh…No, sir!" Watts quickly awoke from his demeaning episode and broke out into a wild run toward the vessel. He hadn't a clue as to who the woman and man were, and they seemed to be important, but he was told to get onboard the cruiser and hopefully find out more information about its leaders. "Hey!" He yelled to the men who were getting ready to pull up the anchor. "You guys, you need a hand!"

They stared down at him blandly and continued with their work, but because no one seemed to object, Watts took it as a go ahead and climbed the steps up to the ship. Before anyone could protest, he grabbed on to the rope they'd been pulling and gave them a helping hand. For now, he would continue to blend in with the unusually quiet men. It seemed they barely took notice of his existence at all. A sailor came up from below deck to observe their progress, and then went back under. Watts looked at him only to catch a weird glimmer of orange trailing behind his eyes. The boy immediately froze with uncertain fear. _Okay, that's two times now, but maybe I'm imagining things. I barely got a chance to sleep since I arrived here on foot. Wasn't that bad of a run considering the shortcut I took. Still, I may need to get real rest. Yeah, I'm just tired._

He took a deep breath and continued to help pull in the anchor. He would have plenty of time to wonder about the people he had seen out at the docks later, but more importantly, where were they headed to?

* * *

_Author's Corner:_

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_Looks like I spoke too soon. I'd been working on this one for a while and finally got through that rough blockade. I'm pleased to announce that chapters for this story are underway again. I have another story to look at, but I know I can handle it this time around. This isn't the first time I've juggled two stories at one time, and who knows, I may add another one to that list, but I won't do that so soon. Okay then. I promise Rinoa will return in the next chapter. I didn't want you guys to think that these other characters were done. Nope, they've got a bit more left in them before I let them go. Anyway, I'm glad to be back. I hope you're still with me because I'm not done yet! Yes, this chapter is nice and long to make up for my absence again. I'd like to thank everyone for your lovely reviews. And I just realized I broke the 99,000 words banner with this chapter, wooo! Who knows how much longer this story has, and I'm quite sure it'll surpassed the others as the story is just breaking through the surface. Alright, maybe not JUST breaking through, but it's getting there finally. Sorry about the long break! Things were rough for a bit. I just need to learn how to deal with it and write, right? Lol! Anyway, thanks for reading or skimming, whatever you do, and let me know what you thought of it, please? All this work…sometimes I need to hear feedback, okay, most times I'd like to hear feedback from you. It makes it all worthwhile. So write me, I'm here and I'll be sure to respond to you. Take care and have a great day,_

_StardustRay _


	16. Notes of a Devil

_**Winter is a time of limitation, of testing, and of hunger…**_

_**Notes of a Devil**_

_**16**_

Walking along the snowy road, Rinoa stared ahead while in thought about what she should do upon arriving into the town of Trabia. The more active her mind, the less chills felt from the cold; however, Rinoa didn't want to believe it but she was starting to feel as though the icy temperature had no effect to her body. She was in the process of growing numb and becoming completely immune to the frigid weather.

"_Is that normal? It's a blizzard out here and yet I can't feel a thing. Is it because of what I am? …My abilities? Am I really capable of something like this? This is unreal. Then again, I shouldn't be too surprised about it. I should probably expect these things from now on." _

_**Your flesh is rapidly succumbing to your sorcery abilities. **_Griever erupted unexpectedly. _**Because you renounce what you are, it is not a good sign for you.**_ Rinoa gasped and softened her steps to listen carefully at his words. _**You have abandoned your normal tendencies as a person, your daily necessities, and so your power in its true essence, is devouring you instead. That is to say, if you continue to walk in the way of a sorceress, abandoning your livelihood as a human being; you will be completely helpless to your sorcery and lose all your rights as a human. I can bear witness to this transformation. It happens more often than you know.-**_

"_So what you're saying is…it's because I've been going without, let's say, 'eating' that my power is slowly taking control of me. That's why I can't feel the cold air?" _

_**-Precisely.- **_Rinoa froze in her steps and stared ahead. She hadn't thought about how long it had been since she had stopped for a meal. Travelling with Squall, she was never really hungry, neither was he so it seemed. Squall had an understandable reason. He was cursed with a body that would never perish because of his junction with Griever. It could explain why he never appeared hungry. In her case, she was forced to tag along with him and often forgot about her hunger because they were always on the move. Without realizing it, she was leaning too much onto her sorceress abilities, ignorant to the fact that it would affect her so negatively.

-_**It is quite simple, actually. The longer you abandon your needs as a human, the more your powers evolve. On the contrary, the longer you go without utilizing your powers, the weaker you become as a sorceress. You can either deny your sorceress power and put up a poor defense, or train your mind and body to stave off hunger and defend yourself, obliterating all of your enemies in due time. It is your choice whichever.- **_

"_Griever, you make everything sound so easy. Of course I want to be strong even without needing to rely on my powers, but then I don't want to become so strong that I'll kill people without even trying to." _

_**-Don't be so naïve, Rinoa. Have you not learned a thing from that fool's past? Acting in defense does not put you at complete fault for your enemy's deaths.- **_

"_Even knowing that the people I kill could be justified in my defense I'll know that it's still __**not**__ right because I'm retaliating. Now that I'm aware that acting in my defense would mean fighting to the extremes, I feel as though I have no reason to fight them to that point. I don't have the heart to kill anyone, but if my heart knows that I would rather kill them before I'm killed, then I'm no better than Galbadia. Isn't that why they're pursuing me? They want to kill me before I kill them, right? But I'd rather avoid it at all costs, just like she did…" _Rinoa whispered the last bit of her statement, taking a step into the deep snow again. _"It's very cloudy, but I remember it a little…Edea's last memories. She was running away from the soldiers, but they ultimately killed her."_

_**-So you'd rather die…?- **_

"…_I didn't say that." _The girl in blue sighed and pressed on, _"I won't let them kill me because of what I am. If there's no other way out of it, then I'll fight. I intend to defend myself, but…I don't intend to die."_

_**-You are finally beginning to grow, my sorceress.- **_Rinoa smiled at his words. It was rare to receive a compliment from either Griever or Squall. She knew that whenever they complimented her, it was on purpose and true.

There was mounds of snow up ahead, burying the pathway in pale white diamonds. It seemed that a road had begun to form at the end of the snow bunch. It consisted of slippery black ice upon the broken pavement of cement and sand with deep impressions of old tire tracks. Up ahead, Rinoa saw a square sign dangling from worn twine upon a wooden post. It had been beaten to its final days by the aggressive winds. As Rinoa neared the sign, it became legible. The bold letters spelled out **Trabia. **She smiled immediately and sped up her walking.

_I made it Squall. I'm finally at Trabia so don't worry. Not that you'd have any reason to worry, of course. _Rinoa's grin widened as she trotted up the old dirt road until a small town made up of log cabins finally appeared further along the pathway. It seemed rather quiet and vacant, or perhaps everyone was indoors with fireplaces cranked to the max. More than likely, they were toughing out the frigid temperatures that Rinoa mysteriously appeared immune to. That was, if there was even anyone living there. She wondered where would be the best place to start, at least to try and find someone who would let her inside for a day or two until she could think of what to do next.

What was it that Squall wanted her to do in this place again? Was it to hide away? Why, if he wasn't so concerned about her, would he find a place for her to hide at all? He must've been too proud to admit that he really did want to be certain that she was out of harm's way. Still, Rinoa was flattered that he did even that. It seemed his heart wasn't as hard as he wanted her to believe.

What's more, there were log cabins nearby. She was raised in one and was sure he knew that about her. Aside from that, Trabia was perfect. About a mile or two before the rest of the town, Rinoa found a cozy little home and decided to approach it. Before knocking on the door, she decided on how she would ask. She was sure to pretend to be cold so that this someone would allow her inside sympathetically. The brunette took a deep breath and brought her hand to the door, then knocked.

When no one answered her knock, she placed her hand upon the doorknob. "…I wonder if…"

Rinoa turned the doorknob and found it unlocked. She opened it up with a breeze of wind pouring out and swaying her bang into her eyes. She shook her head a moment and then observed the area. She could immediately tell that the place was vacant. Dirty hard wooden floors, a dusty dinner table, and a burnt out fireplace were all that remained of the main room. There was a short hallway that led to a couple of other rooms which she could see just a little before the wall blocked the view of its remaining pathway.

"Hello?" Rinoa questioned the silence, closing the front door behind her. The little furniture that was present inside was dusty like no one had been there to care for it. "Hello?"

The only thing that answered her call was her own echo. It was much like Edea's house. Rinoa realized if it were more like Edea's home, then it would have to serve as a safe haven for now. Maybe the person who had lived here before was out for the winter? Hopefully they wouldn't be returning anytime soon.

How long was she supposed to stay here anyway? Squall never said a word about it.

She walked to the unlit fireplace and knelt down before it wondering if she would need to use it at any time. What if she had to chop wood to make her own firewood supply? Wasn't that a man's job? Rinoa sighed and perished the thought. There was no man in her life now, not her father, and not Squall.

He was so eager to get away from her to find his Lion Heart. What should she do on her own? Was she to wait for his return? But even so, he claimed that he would no longer be friendly if their paths had ever crossed again. So what _was_ her purpose for stopping and staying here in Trabia if it were only to grant him his freedom?

_**There is something about this place,**_Griever spoke into her mind. _**I think you should have a look around.**_

"_You sure…?"_ the girl asked while staring at the old logs in the fireplace. _"…I shouldn't get too comfortable. What if somebody still lives here?" _

_**No…the person, who once lived here, is no more.**_

"_What? What is that supposed to mean?"_

_**You'll know soon enough. Close your eyes and concentrate.**_

Rinoa stared about quizzically for a moment and then closed her eyes to examine her inner surroundings, faint emotions unraveling deep within her. Sure enough there was something vaguely familiar about this house. She thought it was because it reminded her of her home back in Dollet, but after taking a moment to examine that feeling closely, she knew it was because she had been there before; if not her then someone else.

Rinoa gasped while opening her eyes and rising from her bent knee from before the fireplace.

"Something's here," she whispered, and then made her way down into the hallway until she came upon the last door. Entering, she found a fully dressed bed and a mahogany nightstand beside it. Inside the drawer of that nightstand was a withering journal. Rinoa took a seat upon the bed and was met with a sharp creaking sound from its old springs and such. She opened the journal to its first page and found a hurried sketch of a sword with a list of ingredients or monster's parts beneath it. Skimming across the lines of words and numbers underneath, she realized it was written as a recipe.

"A weapons- making guide..?" She brushed through the pages until one of a few paragraphs came up.

_If I don't write this down, I feel I may go insane. _The girl immediately stopped reading. It sounded as though a woman in her early thirties was narrating this passage, the voice unlocked and freed unto Rinoa's memories and conscience. The young brunette carried on in her reading. _This is my attempt to keep my sanity intact. I'm alone in this house. It feels like the wind will blow it away completely. I wasn't always alone. I wasn't always this ugly. I was beautiful once, the most beautiful woman in Trabia. Perhaps it is because of my beauty that I've been cursed to be here alone. I don't blame them for leaving me. I don't blame them for being afraid. If I were anyone but me then I would be afraid of me too. Sometimes I am afraid of myself. I'm afraid of what I am and what I may end up doing. But above that fear, I find that being alone is worse than death. _

_However I heard a voice within me telling me that being alone is the greatest blessing in the world. It's the __fear__ of being alone that makes a person weak. I should embrace it. It's not as if I have a choice in this matter anyway. My fiancé left me. My mother died. I'm here with no friends and no family. My home is away from the main town because if I lived there, they would stone me. Writing like this makes me feel better. It makes me feel like I'm talking to someone. It's been so long, and I've lost count of the years. _

_Maybe I should continue with this journal. I feel that someone is reading these words. It's very hard to explain. You're in my situation, aren't you? You're all alone, lost, and without a home. Please, stranger, find rest here in my home, in my heart. If you're in this exact situation that I am, then that means that we're not alone. We have connected through these words. Have you lost your family, your friends? Is the world against you? Please. I feel as though I should continue, but will you heed my words? Will you listen to what I have to say, it isn't much, but please listen. We must stick together. Sometimes even mere strangers connect easier than blood relatives. _

Rinoa instantly pulled her eyes away from the journal and faced them to the window behind the desk. There the snowy forest swayed in sync with the blowing wind whilst untamed snow fell down from the sky like cotton. The dry snow glistened in the dull sunlight. It was silent. Any other day, the silent snowfall could be revered as peaceful and tranquil; however, there was something eerie about this scene. Rinoa immediately blamed the trees. They created a feeling of sadness, sadness she felt for the writer of this journal or maybe because she had shared that same feeling of loneliness and sadness. The girl immediately recognized that this person was writing from a broken heart. Although it was relieving to hear that she was not alone, it would cause her to doubt that reading more personal drabbles would not do her any justice as she could not find the strength to wallow in sorrow. Would it be a good idea to continue reading? There really was nothing else for her to do there regardless, but rest and wait for her companion even if he would forever distance himself from her. _…Forever distance himself…?_

"_I don't understand," _Rinoa recalled saying to him in her mysterious vision. _"Why does it have to be this way? Why can't we work together?"_

"_Because," _he had responded in a warm and lucid voice, _"it's easier this way."_

Now that she thought about it, he seemed resolved and set on separating for the time being. Even if there was something questionable in his tone about his current plans, she felt that concerning herself about it would be a waste of time.

_**-We have been led here for a reason, can't you tell?- **_Griever spoke._** - It is up to you to determine what that reason is. It is for you to accept this journal and to learn from this lost soul, doing so in the privacy and shelter that remains here. Train your mind to let go of unnecessary thoughts and to focus on becoming stronger, both mentally and physically. This is your test, my young sorceress, a test of your durability. We may dwell here until the time has ripened for us to take our leave. Leaving here now will only result in your death, as you are unprepared for any future threat."**_

"…What about Squall?"

_**-Let those be your last words spoken about him. As I've suspected, he has chosen a different route. He is only a distraction and will slow your progress. I urge you to release him from your mind as he has already forgotten about you.-**_

Rinoa's heart raced and writhed at Griever's words, words that were so twisted with pain and truth like a double edged sword. It was something she needed to hear, even if she feared to ever hear those words. Squall had indeed forgotten about her. All day long she had spoken to him, and had yet to receive any word or feedback from him, not that she was expecting to hear from him. Why and how was it so easy for him to push her out of his mind? All the while, she was fumbling to even think about what to do with the next hour without him or his help. He had left with his own agenda, left her behind; easily setting free the burden upon his back.

But maybe that's why it was so easy for him to go…

Immediately a thought entered her mind and shattered her hopes. The girl felt tears welding up in her eyes. Her heart trembled to even think such a thing._ …It's easy to forget about someone when you never really cared about them from the beginning._

Warm tears immediately streamed down from her eyes.

The girl remained upon the bed wiping her eyes, trying to rid her cheeks of the endless tears. Why was she crying so much, especially over him? Maybe it was because she hadn't had the time to properly grieve her father's death that she felt so sad, and Squall's departure was the sign of yet another person leaving her totally alone. _Which is worse,_ the girl thought, _someone dying and leaving me or someone purposely leaving me_?

She closed the journal and placed it onto the nightstand, and allowed herself to do something she had been putting aside since her journey began: she grieved. Rinoa allowed all of her sadness to come forth and out of her being. It was the only thing left to do when she simply did not feel like cleaning her surroundings to hide away her sadness. It was easier to cry than to hold everything inside, and she remembered her mother telling her one day that crying would make her feel better in the end. Still the girl made it no excuse to live her life as a crybaby; however, once in a while she would allow herself a time to release the inner tension that would swell into a tight knot inside her chest overtime.

Once every bit of her tears was released, Rinoa wiped her face on her forearm and sat up from the bed. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

There would be a moment taken to process the thought and reality of being completely alone. It would take some getting used to, but she knew it was pointless to dwell on the hope of his return. Even wishing for his return sooner would result in one chaotic encounter with him in which she was greatly unprepared for. She knew he would pose a threat to her life. She would need to become stronger for herself first and foremost in order to be her own protector and companion.

Rinoa would no longer be sad. There would be no more crying. No more tears.

All that mattered in this world was Griever and her life, nothing more.

"Griever, I think I'm finally beginning to understand now," Rinoa muttered. "I'm ready to become stronger."

If the beast were standing there before her, she would've been able to see the grin of approval that grew upon his face.

_**-I am very pleased to hear that. By making that choice, you have become stronger already, Rinoa.-**_

For the first time in a long time since her arrival in the cabin, she smiled. Things would begin to change, starting with her. It had always been her fight since the beginning, and it was just as Griever said before: he was only a distraction.

_Good bye…Squall. _

* * *

Crumpled logs and the smell of burnt wood filled the air. The blond stared upon the debris a moment before there was a foreign sound coming from behind her, someone clearing his throat.

"This here is the remains of what used to be the house where the new sorceress lived," an old man said from behind her with hands behind his back. Everything about his appearance suggested that he had been a retired miner from Dollet. He also had a stern look that could straighten up the act of any disruptive young man. If she were anyone else, she may have been interested in his words.

Quistis ignored his rambling and faced the home again, taking in the mediocrity of her apparent rival.

"You two aren't from around here, and by 'here' I mean anywhere in Galbadia, are you?" He eyed both counterparts suspiciously. Seifer had been standing beside her though steps between them, observing the site and had yet busied himself in his own thoughts. Seeing that the old man had continued to poke his nose into their private matters, Seifer felt it right for him to help the old man home.

"Hey, oldness, if you've got something better to do, I suggest you get to it."

Quistis cast her attention upon Seifer momentarily, and then brought her eyes back to the house.

"_Hmph, young people these days," _the old man mumbled beneath his breath and turned away from the pair, walking back to his home across the street. He stopped suddenly in the middle of the dirt road and scratched his head thoughtfully. "I'd be a bumbling fool if I didn't have the courtesy to warn ya'll about the recent troubles surrounding these lands. Folk have turned up missing when travelling together on that road seeking a new life away from Dollet. There's something out there, nobody's caught eye to it yet. It's the ghost trail of the sorceress. Even the usual monsters have migrated farther away from this place because something's there. Not sure if you folks care for the details, but this ain't no usual ghost story. Word to the wise, be careful if you're planning to leave town by foot."

With his words, the old man moseyed out of sight and into the background of his cozy home. Seifer took a deep breath and brought his eyes to the empty woman at his side who held a grimly smirk as she stared upon the debris.

"…Humans and their fairytales," she muttered, "Some things never change."

Suddenly, a strange waft of wind tugged on her being and spun her around from the sight of the house and toward the wildflower field across the view to their left. She immediately followed this moment of intervention. Seifer stuck to her movements like a mindless puppet and made the flower field the center of his attention as well.

"…This place…" Quistis murmured while taking a step forward into the dirt road. She walked until the ground became wild grass, flowers crushed beneath her dark boots. She came to a halt at the edge of the flower field, closing her eyes and taking in the smell of her surroundings. The foreign scents ignited her senses, traversing her into an unseen utopia. "This…this is where it happened. I can feel it."

Seifer came to a halt behind her, feeling as though he was not allowed to pursue her.

"...It's been years since it's taken place and yet the presence here is just as strong. This…is where I was reborn…." She opened her eyes and smiled manically at first, but it became a sneer, "…Almost a perfect sorceress until…!"

A nudge coursed about her being, followed by a whispered and childlike laugh upon the wind.

"_Humorous and depressing really, watching you, hearing you," _the sound of a little girl's giggling surrounded her, "_pretending to be what you're not. A rush, isn't it? What a false sense of security it all truly is." _

Quistis searched the area around with her eyes first, unsure of who or where the voice had come from. It was just an existence, coming from no place in particular. She remained there, puzzled.

"_What are you even up to, oh half sorceress? Surely your plans will amount to nothing."_

"Who are you?" Quistis asked aloud finally, taking a step forward. Seifer stared at her quizzically. He hadn't heard a single thing.

"_I am the one who knows what you really are and how you can become complete in time. Find me in the vast part of the Timber Forest. There, I will guide you to a true beginning. Only if you would allow me to..."_

"I need no further guidance. My path is set. However, I feel as though I should have company with you at least once. I would like to speak with you face to face, _child_."

"_Common mistake, my little, half sorceress…for a child, I am not. I will await you here."_

Quistis growled and immediately paced through the field of wild flowers with her counterpart no less than five steps behind her. She could smell the stench of the forest from where they started down the open road, a place she had already begun to hate.

She walked until her anger subsided, and then when they were out of the view of Dollet, she lifted her hand and seized a spherical amount of space and matter. The air in this sphere seemed to blur upon sight. Quistis walked directly inside, leaving Seifer to do the same. It closed immediately after he entered. Within seconds, they reappeared closer to the Timber Forest, but there was still a bit of a walk ahead. She had purposely allowed them some time to walk, having probably need of clearing her thoughts.

Traversing the plains of Timber, the enormity of various beasts and monsters in clumps upon the land was riveting. Seifer noted that they had all been exposed to a recent burst of sorcery and were now mutating into the creatures that the nearby town folk feared. He walked two feet behind her, observing the changes for himself and yet never saying a word. She seemed unbothered by these minor things, storming ahead as if she were above everything and everyone under the sun. Given the way she had altered their travel time by shortening a day's worth of travel into the sum of one hour, he felt she had every right to feel that way.

And there they were, approaching the wide and great Timber Forest. At its foot, there appeared to be an opening of white light shining through. She immediately recognized it as an opening for the two of them. Curiously, it was the same path Rinoa had taken upon exiting the forest some time ago.

Once inside, it hadn't taken them long to encounter a small girl kneeling on the ground, apparently tracing shapes into the dirt with a long and thin branch from one of the trees. There was a green stuffed animal on the ground behind her; although, the ruby cast upon its forehead could probably pass as authentic. Quistis took one step forward and apparently caused the stick to steer away from its path. The circle she had drawn into the ground had been interrupted with a diagonal line and destroyed the shape.

The girl dropped the branch and quietly rose to an innocent stance.

Quistis folded her arms and looked away from her. "What do you want with me, little girl?"

The girl smiled and looked over at Seifer, then to Quistis, and then back to Seifer again.

"You mean, she hasn't noticed you yet?" the green eyed girl said with a continued grin. Quistis closed her eyes with a groan. Seifer placed his right hand on his waist and cocked his head to the side. He really had no idea what her inquiry was about.

The blond opened her eyes and faced the girl again, then pointed at her causing the girl to face her again. "I repeat_, _what do you want with me, little girl_?_" the blond retorted.

The sky immediately darkened and caused the forest around them to dissipate into a shadow, slowly being swallowed up by that same darkness. Seifer looked around himself until a sharp light caught his eye, and when he turned to face it, he found that the girl's eyes had begun to glow a wild emerald green. The smile was no longer upon her face. She had then begun to transform into a new creature, such that it happened in the blink of an eye, and thus returned her to her normal, tiny body; still in the dark, still with glowing eyes. Seifer wasn't sure what he had seen or even if he could trust his own eyes. Quistis hadn't flinched, at least, she appeared to be handling everything well.

"_I could end your insignificant life right this minute if I wanted to," _the girl teased, her yellow sundress billowing in the wind. _"You are very impudent…and I fear that words will not reach you because of the level of arrogance that is clouding your judgment. You will soon realize that you need me to survive. If left alone, you will bring chaos upon this world without cause and without an aim or an end. It is a chaos that will eventually destroy you regardless of how powerful you become. It is equally laughable and sad. Here," _The girl lifted her right hand and a brilliant light emitted from her palm. The light travelled gracefully upon Quistis face and then took the form of a hand that had rested upon her forehead.

At the first moment of contact, Quistis shook violently and had then begun to levitate from the ground. The girl continued to lift her up from the ground. Seifer drew his gunblade and walked toward the girl, but she lifted her left hand and crossed it over the arm resonating with the strange light to stall him in his pursuit.

"_I am not hurting her," _she said, never turning to look at him. She kept her eyes only on Quistis. "_I am simply showing her what is to come should she accept my help."_

He then lifted his eyes to see Quistis' body relaxing and slowly being brought back down to the earth. She landed on her legs weakly and stumbled to the ground, holding her head and then her throat while panting.

"You showed me everything that would happen to _me_, but…" Quistis opened her eyes, still panting heavily. "What's in it for you? I didn't once see what you were entitled to for helping me to achieve my goal."

"_I have simply been placed here to guide you. Consider it a gift from Hyne."_

"What makes you think I'll trust you that easily?"

"_You already know what will happen to you without me."_

"You're wasting my time," Quistis argued in her madness. "I have _everything_ I need!"

"_Only a fool declares himself perfect, though I guess I should expect such things from a half sorceress_," the girl grinned.

"Stop calling me that!" Quistis rose to her feet and reached for the whip at her side.

"_Oh…? You don't like hearing the truth?" _she laughed. _"Then you are as delusional as Griever."_

"…Griever?" the young woman muttered, and readied her whip and same for Seifer and his gunblade.

"_Your little toys can't harm me, but if it's a fight you want…" _All that was left was her voice. The girl disappeared before their eyes. Darkness engulfed the forest, and there was only one light coming from above. Seifer gripped the handle of his Hyperion tightly. When the light from the girl's stuffed animal brightened considerably, they were surprised to find themselves surrounded by the forest creatures. _"Sure your magic may be impressive, but up against hordes of monsters, you will be torn asunder: piece by piece and limb for limb."_

Quistis snapped her whip, ready.

All at once, the various monsters charged at them with fangs and claws. She casted a powerful tornado spell upon the first wave, whisking them away whilst Seifer went through landing deathblows to their necks and such. Quistis occasionally snapped her whip to keep the beasts back, but even their combined efforts weren't enough as the beast hordes became stronger, larger, and more deadly. Before they knew it, they were surrounded by dozens of Ochu, Grendel, and Anacondaur. They were cornered; their backs pitted against the wide Timberian Oak trees.

The monsters' attacks ceased, but they remained their growling and gnawing, waiting for the little girl's signal to rip their prey apart.

Quistis was out of breath, resting her back against the tree.

"_You are not as strong as you think you are. Once you realize that, you will understand why you need me and why your plans will crumble without my guidance. Admit it."_

The woman lifted her eyes to the bright light and sighed in defeat. It was embarrassing enough having lost to a mere child, but it was better to lose to her now than to a certain rival later on. "…Fine, will you aid me," she murmured, but just loud enough for the girl to hear. She would need to accept the offered help to unlock the mystery of her sealed powers.

"…_With pleasure," _the young entity answered while appearing before Quistis on the ground. The girl lifted up her stuffed animal and closed her eyes. Above the backs of every creature standing around them, appeared ethereal wings of radiance so bright, colors without names appeared in its mixture. All at once, they were lifted into the sky and vanquished. With their demise so did the forest retain its natural beauty.

The girl immediately smiled and lowered her doll, then squeezed it tightly. She faced them, seeming to be completely normal. Seifer was mystified.

"Let's go!" The girl cheered. "I can't remember the last time I've left this place."

The two adults allowed for a few moments of silence to pass first as they were both confused about her sudden transformation. "…Hey, kid," Seifer asked finally.

"Hmm," she leaned her head to the side quizzically

"What's your name?"

"Me? I'm Selphie," she answered innocently.

"What are you doing?" Quistis looked at him, eyes narrowing.

"Trying to figure out what the hell just happened."

"No," the blond shook her head. "…We're behind schedule. How many towns have we ushered weapons to?"

"Too many to name at the top of my head, but the main ones have all been supplied."

"Good. I now know where to start. Let's head back," Quistis said, placing her whip back onto her side, and Seifer did the same of his weapon. She was about to lift her hand to begin her transportation spell, but Selphie interrupted her.

"Allow me!" The girl shouted, and caused a bright light to envelope them forcing Seifer to close his eyes. When he opened them, he found that they were onboard the battle cruiser in one piece. Selphie's eyes lit up in amazement when she saw them out at sea. She ran to the railing and observed the ocean and the sky above. It all appeared to be so vast, and she appeared to be a regular child.

"…What is she?" Seifer asked, staring at the little girl from behind.

"Exactly what we need to destroy that sorceress," she answered him coldly. "…I am not a complete fool. Once I have absorbed the sorceress' power, I will make that little girl bow down before me."

Seifer sighed and looked at the floor.

"And why are you asking so many questions?" She stared at him, her pupils turned a shade of violent red. He then felt as though someone was overtaking him, his heart. He grabbed his chest and fell to the floor. The other crew members continued to work as if unbothered and thoughtless. Seifer grabbed his head and yelled aloud, tearing Selphie from her moment of liberty. She looked back at them and shook her head, then faced the ocean once more.

When Seifer opened his eyes this time, they were also red until returning to their normal hue of green. He rose to his feet and walked away from her, and went below deck as if having received a new set of orders from her.

All the while, Seifer had passed by Watts as he was hiding in the stairway. He had been eavesdropping on their conversation as well as observing the newest passenger. There was something eerie about the little girl handling her stuffed animal by one of its lumpy arms. All the light from the sun just seemed to be attracted to her.

"We'll head back to Balamb as you suggested, little girl," Quistis spoke to the girl, but then froze. Her eyes fell in line with Watts as he had been staring at them from the stairway below the deck. He immediately hid out of sight, somewhere below deck pretending to be one of the mindless crew members. "…Somehow," Quistis continued after locking eyes with him momentarily, "I feel as though step three is closer than we thought."

"First things first," Selphie said, without turning her eyes away from the ocean this time. "…We must visit Balamb to unearth our haven, and then you may pay a visit to the others," the girl said while facing her slowly.

Quistis growled and placed her hand on her hip. It was painful having to listen to and obey what seemed to be a little girl, especially in front of her men. Regardless, these steps would need to be taken if things were going to go as she wanted them to.

"Head for Balamb," she announced and their cruiser disappeared within the squalls upon the sea.

* * *

Rinoa clutched the book in her hands and stared at the steam oven in the back shed outside. Gathering from the details in the book, she was supposed to start a fire with her bare hands and learn to build a weapon of her own utilizing the remaining materials available in the journal writer's outside workshop. It was one thing having a step by step guide to explain this process, but not actually having someone standing there and physically demonstrating it made her feel completely lost.

"So…uh…..is this really what I'm supposed to be doing here? …I don't really feel too confident about this," she murmured against an agitated hand.

_**-How many times have I told you before? Look into your memories, beyond your life. One of you has probably had a skill in this area before.**__**You must learn to use their memories to help you within every situation. Take a moment to concentrate, think, and visualize this process so that you may be able to perform it to the best of your ability and then later, proficiently.-**_

"Okay," Rinoa answered, noting how Griever made everything sound so easy again. She took a deep breath and placed the book down on a dirty work desk used for carving the spoils of a hunt. "I'll do my best," she whispered into the apparently cold air though it felt like nothing against her skin but a plain room with perfect weather despite the sight of snow around.

Closing her eyes, she thought back to her past and with her father. For a moment she saw her mother's face before being yanked suddenly from her past and into the past of another. She saw a pair of gloved hands working before the same work space, though the workshop in this memory was cleaner and alit with a magnificent blaze. There the woman's hands worked to hold up a tool to clutch the fiery steel as it was plunged into the fire and melted down a bit. After a long while, it was pulled out, bleeding a sharp red and then hammered down with a wide tool that caused it to become flattened, sharp, and then fine. This went on a few more times until it was branded into a fine sword, sharper than anything Rinoa had ever seen before, equally beautiful in design. Though lost in the moment of awe, she was brought back to her reality, to the dullness of the present shed.

It looked soulless, having died with the owner of the house, Rinoa thought. It was a gloomy sight. Snow covered weeds sprung up from the ground and grew upon the tables and other equipment scattered abroad. There were tools hanging upon the walls of the half shed, remarkably still seeming to be in good condition. Perhaps there was something special about this person who lived here, being able to preserve ones home to almost exactly the way it was in the past aside from the persistent weeds. Why would it be so important to salvage ones home when they've already moved on to the next life anyway? Surely a person couldn't return to reclaim any of the things that were left behind, unless… Unless they were cursed as she was, to roam the world until a willing soul would allow her to entrust her powers into their vessel. The thought caused the girl to freeze a moment longer outside, longer than she intended and something in the forest behind her darted out of her sight at the left side of her face. She turned her attention to it and looked around frantically trying to catch a tiny resemblance but found nothing.

She waited a few more moments hoping to see it again, but it never returned. Maybe it was her imagination. Who knew how long the thoughts had sent her scrambling into a new realm of questions, and who knew exactly if her eyes were seeing things as they really were.

"_I think I'm going to go back inside for a little while,"_ she thought to herself , becoming a bit uneasy after the stir in her concentration. _"Besides…the thought of not being able to feel anything isn't really something I can handle too well. I wonder if there's food here…nonperishable items, hopefully."_

The girl trudged toward the back steps of the cabin and walked upon them carefully. She entered the home slowly.

In winter conditions, night came about quickly, often earlier than any place of a warmer climate. Rinoa was set against the darkness of the house as the dull sunlight faded slowly from the windows. She searched through the dusty cabinets in search of any sort of food and finally came across a stack of can goods containing vegetables and fruits.

"Finally!" The girl exclaimed as she reached for a can of halved peaches, slamming it to the counter and began her search for a can opener upon the lower shelves. It was funny how she came upon it instantly. At the time, she figured that once a person had been inside one kitchen, every kitchen thereafter would come as second nature to them, but then on the same whim she walked across the room for a new set of cabinets and found where the bowls and such were stored.

A feeling of familiarity flooded her and caused her to stumble a bit. The brunette took a few steps back with trembling breath. It was one thing to accidentally come across the utensils, but to locate the bowls and plates on a natural instinct had frightened her.

Was it by her own will or the force of one who had occupied this place before which caused her to move so naturally inside the kitchen? She was hoping it was by her own ability that it had even occurred. The thought of someone possessing her and using her body as an instrument to get around the room could have made her lose an appetite for the rest of her stay there, but Rinoa fought against the urge.

Instead, she settled for skipping the bowl and found a seat at the table with the can opener, fork, and the can of peaches to get her started. There was no power inside. She realized she would need to start a fire in the fire place and use candles as implied by the various lamps and such scattered about the abandoned home. There was still a bit of sunlight remaining, so she felt it inappropriate to worry about lighting the fireplace for now.

The girl brought the can opener to the can, and sliced at it vigorously. With the conclusion of the circular lid opened, she picked up her fork and knifed it into a peach half, then brought it to her mouth quickly to savor the fruit. To her dismay, there was no flavor. Her first instinct was to spit it out, but then she allowed it to stay inside for a moment longer.

_-What if…what if I can't taste anything right now because my body has lost most of its senses. I can't feel the cold from the snow, so does that mean I can't taste the sweetness of a peach? If so, I'll have to deal with it for now until my body is back to normal.-_

Rinoa closed her eyes and swallowed the bitter fruit and its tasteless juice, as difficult as it had been to do. She felt it travelling down her throat and filling her stomach. A moment later, the temperature in the room suddenly dropped and the cabin felt drafty and damp. She immediately realized she had nothing to warm herself in, no coat or sweater, but just the natural defense of one fighting off the cold. She rubbed her arms and created a warming method until her body temperature raised. After a moment of difficulty adjusting to the new temperature, she returned to her peaches and decided to try another half, this time the girl was able to taste the sweet nectar of the fruit.

With the return of her senses, she realized how hungry she had been, and slowly finished almost the entire can alone. She left maybe three halves of peaches at the very bottom and decided to keep them for a little later. There was no refrigerator inside the home, sadly, though she did find a small container to keep the peaches inside. Thankfully the house was cold enough to be considered a refrigerator anyway, so it wasn't as important.

Rinoa approached the opened living room and walked toward the fireplace, searching the area with her eyes first for some form of lighting equipment. There was nothing but the log poker and a broom to sweep away the firewood ashes.

"Great, I need matches," she whispered, while turning about to search the room. She would probably find them in the kitchen. As soon as she took a step forward, there was a voice at the back of her mind teetering on the idea of her creating the fire of her own breath: _magic. _

It couldn't be completely impossible; after all, she had created ice and water from a mere thought. Everything began with a thought, so it seemed. Perhaps this too could be accomplished just as easily.

Rinoa stretched forth her hand toward the fireplace and closed her eyes. She imagined a raging fire, one that appeared both wild and yet calm, one that was similar to the fire that consumed Squall's past. Squall…how his leaving scarred her, burned her. He had left his impression like a devastating wildfire.

_-Poof-_

Her eyes immediately opened to the orange flames of the fire that had ignited with the help of her thoughts of Squall. She had to laugh at herself about this attempt firstly. She then stared into the burning fire. There was an unusual smell accompanying its odd glow. It was bright green before it burned into a black one, and then the rest became orange as it fed on the remaining wood of the fireplace. She hadn't even thought to collect more firewood, and it was the last log apparently. It became a potential chore for her, an important one: If not for keeping her warm sometime later, but for providing her with the light to study the contents of the journal and also to keep her fire magic skills sharp. If she were to encounter any of the local monsters, it would be most certain that they appeared more vulnerable to fire magic, just as Ifrit's fire could not stand up against her ice spell.

The journal crossed her mind again, perhaps she could learn more about the weapons inside that she would be expected to make from now on-or at least just one weapon of choice, one to serve the purpose of defending her for the time being; after all, she would only be there for as long as time allowed. What if her time was running out anyway? Even so, there was no way to tell whether that time was short or not.

Rinoa had no other option left but to wait and to grow stronger in the peacefulness and solitude of Trabia's ever so lonesome snow.

* * *

_Author's Corner: _

* * *

_I still have a passion for this story as well as the game. I find myself going back over the game and replaying it from time to time, and it never seems to fail when it comes to inspiring me to write. Though my stories are often alternately placed rather than following after the game's end, I try to stay true to the original game itself. My ideas may be considered farfetched and sometimes way out there, but there will always be some place a person can tie it in back to the original game work. Some people think that alternate universes are a lazy way to write, and we AU authors get bashed quite often because of our plots and such, but it's just our way to pay tribute to one of Square's best games and stories ever. Stories are our way of keeping it alive. I don't know why I felt the need to write that, but I did, and I'd hate to backspace all of it. Also, the reason why it takes me forever to update is because I find myself coming back to this video game and my stories whenever I need a getaway from my personal life. I have an emotional bond with this game unlike any other. It's very special to me, like a cherished childhood memory. In my life, I was left to take care of myself despite the people around me, but I understand their reasons as to why it couldn't be helped now; however, this game was my company more often than other people, and I can identify myself with Squall on a lot of different levels. I'm older now, and I know that I can change certain things, and that life isn't a game, but it's always fun to return to this area and to find things I might not have understood in the beginning. There is now a clear pathway for this story and from this chapter onward marks the beginning of the true story and its end. I may not be punctual in my updating, but nevertheless, I intend to see it through. Eternal Breath is very close to my heart, just as Damaged Hearts was to me, and I admit, I was very emotional throughout that story and when it ended…despite my anti-fluff attitude, hahaha, I cried. What I'm saying is, if you're still reading this huge paragraph, please enjoy yourself chapter to chapter, let me know what you think of it all, and understand that I too am still a person. My updates don't follow promptly because I have to live my life too. If that's fine with you, then read as much as you like. I write what I'd like to read, mostly, so that's why this story is still dedicated to those who prefer something a little different. Okay, that's enough about me. Thanks for reading or skimming, and hope to see you soon. Keep moving forward, right? _

_Ray_


	17. In Cold Blood

_**Give no mercy, receive no mercy. **_

_**In Cold Blood**_

_**17**_

_Nortes Mountains, Esthar—_

Dangerous and blustery winds surged between the crevices of the canyon walls. Only the sound of the hissing wind came upon his ears, everything else fell silent. If not for her voice, he was thankful for the moment of silence. It was the only way he could gather his thoughts properly. Then again, he hadn't heard from her since he began his journey to reach this destination.

A considerable amount of time had passed since Squall first arrived at the grandiose cliff overlooking the great city known as Esthar, great only amongst its own citizens. He loathed the sight of it. He spent most of his childhood and the last years of his normal life hating this particular place without ever having seen it with his own eyes. He owed it to himself to feast his eyes upon it at least once. Even knowing that generations had passed since the days of old in which his hometown was attacked, he still harbored that very same hatred. His heart burned deep with a fire that could not be quenched.

The young man drew his Sheer Trigger from his left side and brought his right arm behind him, still holding the blade by its leather grip. His heart pounded fiercely, in anger and in rage, never in fear, so much that the gunblade began to glow a brilliant crystallizing blue.

"_**You wish to destroy a nation that does not even know your name?"**_ Griever's voice crept into his mind, sounding more like a statement than a question.

Squall ignored him and stared ahead, eyes narrowed and menacing.

"_**Tell me, what purpose would this serve?"**_

"…They took everything from me," the boy finally muttered. "I haven't forgotten after all these years. I will never forget."

"…_**You must not allow yourself to be led by hatred alone. It is a weakness."**_

"…I know that, but…it's," Squall took a deep breath. "It's the only feeling I have…it reminds me that I'm alive. You would never understand."

"…_**And what of Rinoa?"**_

"What _about _her?" He retorted. The weapon immediately abandoned its emanation.

"…_**She is training alone and making good progress in Trabia. Surely your heart is at peace knowing that she is safe and growing stronger."**_

"…I don't know what you're talking about," he took a deep breath and lowered his eyes to the cracked ground beneath him. "She is no longer my concern."

"_**Be certain to remember those words. When the time comes, I will remind you of this day…"**_

The last time he had heard from her, she told him that she had arrived in Trabia and that everything was fine. It was all he needed to hear. By that time, he had made great timing away from Trabia and emerged out from the snowy plains. There he would travel south, taking a passageway outside of Trabia and to a new land, new only to him. There the snow was already melted and had revealed a rocky mountain path.

He spent days walking the plains of Trabia until it became the plains of Esthar, and finally became the canyon peak which he had climbed to arrive at now. He lost count of the days since his departure, but it had been a long time since his arrival. He knew she would never want to get stronger if he was there to hold her hand, so to speak. By spending time apart, perhaps even permanently, she would have no other choice but to grow stronger and rely only on her own power. There was much for him to do alone, things that she would probably never allow in her presence.

"_**Why are you giving her thought?"**_

"…Why are you listening? I'm entitled to my own privacy as a human being."

"_**So you're human now? I thought you wanted immortality?"**_

"…I…I want," just then, he heard a hissing sound. It seemed to sizzle from a group of peculiar rocks to his left along the canyon. The orange and pinkish sky brought about the mixed shadows of these red walls. This particular area seemed to be on fire, and burning velvet red, or was it something clothed in red that had caught his attention.

Squall gripped the handle of his gunblade and sidestepped to his right to face his entire body to the sound. He got into his defense stance and observed the area carefully.

"_**What is it that you want?"**_

The boy groaned. _"Now's not the time, Griever," _he answered the great lion.

"_**You have allowed her to creep into your mind. You have already forgotten our deal."**_

"_I haven't! I wasn't even thinking about her until you mentioned her!"_

Right as Squall's focus altered, a large undead creature emerged from the arrangement of rocks before him. It was a skeleton, having probably been alive at one time. It was most likely the remains human, but because of some questionable curse, it would reanimate itself whenever approached. It had been clad in a raggedy velvet cape and war boots, but Squall noticed that its bony fingers still gripped the handle of an enchanted blade carved out of a rare steel-like element which caused its blade to look blood red. The sword was nowhere near as strong as Squall's Lion Heart of the past, but it could no doubt help to make an extraordinary gunblade, one that his mere Sheer Trigger would simply look like a child's plaything when beside it.

"_**That was a test, in which you have failed."**_

"_According to whose standards…?" _Squall retorted to the beast as the creature hissed at him and began a full charge toward him. Squall met him at his charge and extended his blade. Before they were within attack range, the creature jumped overhead and landed some feet away and behind Squall. The brunet stopped his pursuit and turned around. "What the…"

"_**You may have failed my test, but can you pass this one?"**_

"_What test?"_

"_**You're staring at it. Forbidden; he is to be your opponent, and you should know that regardless of the outcome of this battle, if you continue to let that girl influence your decisions from now on, you may very well end up just like him."**_

"…" Squall narrowed his eyes at Forbidden, who seemed to smile upon him even in his lack of facial tissue. "We'll just see about that," the brunet whispered and charged at him first. Forbidden's cape billowed behind him as he stabbed his blade forward, then continued in a hacking motion. Squall edged his blade up defensively, countering the hacks and then choosing to parry its third strike. He had successfully dislodged the beasts' blade and then brought his own blade around him in a swirl that caused Squall to slice around to the bottom of its knees. Squall slashed across its legs, making a clean slice between the creature's bones. Forbidden's legs burst into dust and it fell forward on the ground, still gripping the blade. It screamed on the ground in a high pitch wail. Clearly, it was upset about losing its legs.

Squall continued to chop it down, starting with the arm that wielded the weapon, and then the other, and finally he stood over it and brought his gunblade down upon its neck, decapitating it and sending the beast back to the depths of hell from whence it came. Its remains turned into dust and was thus, carried away by the wind.

He took a deep breath and sheathed his blade again. Arrogantly, he cracked his neck by motioning his head side to side.

"…Griever….you were saying?"

"_**That sword…is all that remains of the one who fell in love with a sorceress. She used every bit of him for her evil deeds, and when he had nothing else to offer, she plunged that sword into his back and abandoned him. His hatred was so strong, he could not move on to the next life. It ultimately consumed him to the point where he became that creature. Maybe he was a creature before she ever stabbed him. Conclusively, we have much to accomplish. You cannot let the hatred from your past life dominate your present one; likewise, you must not allow yourself to be linked with the sorceress in any way contrary to our objective either. You must continue to keep a leveled mind; to make progress, to gain wisdom, and to hasten the arrival of our purpose. She has now forgotten about you. Why do you think she has grown so strong in such a short time?"**_

"…You know," Squall sighed and knelt down to grab the blade from its place on the ground. "…If you don't want me to think about her, then maybe you shouldn't mention her at all?"

"_**It was just a fair warning."**_

"…What makes you feel the need to warn me about her anyway? Aren't I the fool in your eyes? Why would you even care to warn me?" Squall pulled the betrayal sword to his face and saw tiny vein-like streams flowing through the steel like blood. "You talk to her about me as though I can't hear you." He placed the blade back to the ground and looked around a bit. "…What are your intentions, Griever? …You're afraid I'll get sidetracked?"

"…_**There should be no distractions."**_

"All I want is my Lion Heart, nothing else. Once I have it, I'll destroy Esthar. You can do with her what you will. The sooner we complete what we've been reawakened to do, the sooner I'll have my revenge and you to your happiness…in whatever it is you desire. After all this, I will _not_ be used again, by _anyone_."

The boy stared upon the betrayal sword as it lay amongst the rocks and dirt.

"_**That is very reassuring; however, I will like for you to quit wasting time with these unproductive tasks. Carbuncle showed you the fate of Winhill. There is nothing left to protect, to fight for. It is foolish to continue to invest in that rage upon a people who never knew you, but if you continue in this meaningless pursuit, know that you cannot have your revenge until we have completed our objective."**_

"Understood, but if the opportunity presents itself, I will _not_ hesitate to destroy it."

"…_**As long as you don't slow us down."**_

Squall faced Esthar once more and gritted his teeth together. "…Fine."

* * *

Night fell upon the canyon quickly, and Squall had finally decided to leave his past behind for now. He could do nothing to this land. There was no reason for him to stand around any longer, as much as it pained him to let everything go so easily for the time being.

"I wonder where it could be…" he whispered into the wind as it continued in its wafting around him. He had been thinking about his Lion Heart again after taking in and putting away the betrayal sword for later use. Griever remained quiet as Squall came to his feet. Just as the young man approached the descent of the canyon wall, he heard something from behind, perhaps another person or thing in the midst of the winds that was collectively growing stronger now. The boy turned about and found a woman in blue descending upon him from the sky. He was pushed from the ledge and knocked down the hillside of the canyon wall. Squall tumbled down in the darkness, sharp rocks getting the better of him, it was a good thing he could not feel any of it.

Squall extended his hand and gripped onto the wall, catching himself in the midst of his fall, hoping he could at least set his eyes upon his attacker. There he saw someone peering over the ledge with silver hair. Her hair glistened in the night underneath the moonlight like a star.

"I think that was a bit over the top, Fujin, no pun intended," a man's voice came from behind her with a laugh, and then Squall saw a tall man with a broad physique appear. "We're to bring him in, not kill him, ya know?"

The woman faced him and placed her hands on her hips, and then looked down the cliff again. "Oops," she said and sent an angry chill down Squall's spine. The brunet forced his strength to his arms and pulled his body up. From the strength of his left arm and his right he climbed up the wall, legs dangling beneath him.

Thinking that Squall was dead, the man turned away from the scene and left her to observe the area around, but she realized the boy was now climbing back up.

"Raijin!"She said, pointing down at him while he ran back to see for himself.

"Well, look at that. He survived," Raijin grinned and backed away from the cliff as his counterpart did the same. When Squall neared the ledge, he threw himself up and over it, catching the grounds with the cleats of his boots. After securing his balance, Squall unsheathed the gunblade at his side while gritting his teeth together fiercely.

"Pissed?" the woman wearing a black eye patch over her left eye questioned him, drawing her weapon as well that seemed to belong in the family of a boomerang; however, it seemed to become more animated with the help of the wind. There was something mystifying about this woman and man. They were a bit different, altered just as Squall and equally sinister. At the kick of some rock debris, the brunet brought his attention to the man in the blue vest and baggy pants and found that he too had armed himself, touting a long fighting staff with two electrical orbs inside at both of its ends.

"_**I see that humans have finally figured out a way to technologically do what we have already accomplished naturally, though their technology is no match for my true strength. Shame on Pandemona and Quezacotl, they have allowed themselves to be captured and dismembered so easily."**_

"_Is that what I sensed? They're in junction?"_

"_**It seems that way. Still, these two are far too weak to pose a threat to us. Fight well."**_

"_Of course…"_

"Why don't you just surrender now so we don't accidentally kill you, ya know? It'd look pretty bad on our record, considering this is our first official job."

Squall remained quiet.

"Oh, not a talker, are you? That's too bad. When we're through with you, you'll be screaming. Ain't that right, Fujin?"

"Affirmative," the silver haired woman grinned. "Ready?"

"You bet!"

The vest wearing man dashed forward to Squall and lifted his fighting rod over the brunet's head, attempting to bring it down on his skull, but Squall slashed upward in a defensive strike to knock it back from above his head. He did so with combined strength from both he and Griever's and was surprised when the fighter was able to withstand his might.

The teenager stepped back momentarily and made a mental note of his two opponents. Although he had found a challenge, there would be no way he would give up so easily.

"What, you're not thinking of running away yet, are you? If so, we'd be very disappointed," Raijin smirked, gripping the lightning staff at its mid and bringing it to rest behind him. He focused himself in his battle stance while the brunet quickly strategized in his mind about the outcome. While he was taking a moment to think about his next move, the woman summoned a strong gust of wind and sent it hauling forward to him. Squall was left no choice but to stand firm behind the protection of his gunblade.

"_Wind and lighting…." _He thought to himself, and then steeled himself for his upcoming attack. At the first sign of Squall taking charge, Fujin flung her weapon before herself bringing a huge wave of vicious wind toward him. Squall was swept back, flipping over in the air head first until his back was slamming against the wall behind him, momentarily knocking the breath from of his lungs.

It had been a long time since anyone made him feel any pain, aside from his many adventures with Rinoa more than a month ago in which she unintentionally caused him pain, he thought. He shook his head. Now was not the time to reminisce, especially about her. He sat up from the ground, denying the minor injury, and stood to his feet slowly.

"Someone…?" The woman whispered into the now gentle breeze, causing Squall to wonder a moment about her remark. The air between them was crisp and quiet. Squall was annoyed, but remained focused. There had to be a weakness.

However, in all the short time with these two people, they managed to do one thing; they reminded him that he would need to believe that he was already strong despite being without his Lion Heart.

Squall cracked his neck while gripping the handle of the gunblade tightly, and retained his fighting stance.

He was now ready.

Raijin took the initiative and charged forward, skillfully twisting and twirling the lighting staff in his hands. He lunged with the staff, knifing at Squall's face again, sending the brunet ducking down quickly and rolling to his left. Squall immediately extended his legs out from underneath him, and clipped the talented but a bit clumsy broad shouldered man down who stumbled with a crash in the loosed rocks upon the surface of the ground. With one down, Squall recovered quickly and ran ahead, aiming for the woman who had still been watching her partner taking a fall in battle.

The brunet made his advance in an unnatural speed, such that she found herself in a dilemma of her next move.

Because she had taken it upon herself to sneak upon him in the dark of night to deliver a deadly attack, he felt it only fair to return the favor. Before she knew it, he was bringing down his gunblade across her right shoulder and torso. She felt a slight rip and heard one snap first, and then a thunderous boom followed after it. He had pulled the trigger of his gunblade.

"FUJIN!" Raijin yelled, finding himself sluggish upon standing, almost as if he had been subjected to a time reducing spell. It wasn't just his imagination. Things really were moving in slow motion for him.

The silver haired woman found herself falling head first from the cliff side with nothing but rocks to await her at the very bottom of her fall. Fujin could only smile for now. She knew this was far from over. She watched the curious teenager as he stared upon her figure, falling down and slowly fading into the darkness below. Only his voice could reach her now. It seemed that time halted for them all as she fell toward the earth to a place that would most likely be her death if only she were a regular human.

"_What do you _really_ want from me?" _Squall asked her, his mind able to catch the wavelength of her inner voice because of her forced junction with the spirit that manipulated the wind: Pandemona.

"…_You? This is only a field training session," _she spoke casually, as if uninjured at all. He was surprised to find her using complete sentences now as all her previous statements consisted of one word answers_. "...I must protect Esthar from the sorceress. It has nothing to do with you."_

"…_What?"_

"_But I believe you proved more useful than he initially thought."_

"_He…?" _Squall looked over at the man who had been frozen in a time spell, thinking it was he whom she had referred to.

"…_You know her, don't you?" _She had evaded his inquiry, sending his mind along a whirlwind of a road with thoughts of 'her.'

And there she was, in a fleeting image. His mind briefly thought of Rinoa and her conquest in Trabia, her attempt to become stronger so that people would leave her alone for good. Was it all worth it? Could she ever be ready to face anyone, especially others like the two he was almost struggling to defeat now?

"…_Trabia? Your girlfriend is there?" _

"_I don't know what you're talking about. Get out of here, or next time I'll go for your vitals."_

"…_There's no escaping those soldiers. They're inhuman," _Fujin chuckled. _"They'll reach Trabia in a matter of hours."_

At her final words, time was restored. There was a sudden rush in the sky above him, like a group of moving bodies bypassing him in the night. Once they were gone, Raijin had finally reached him, landing a blow to the back of his head.

The brunet caught his balance and immediately slung his gunblade in a slash to the right of himself that reached all the way around and behind him to lock surfaces with Raijin's staff. Squall immediately felt a surge of electricity jolt from Raijin's grip and down to the tip of his blade. He growled and gripped both hands upon his gunblade, then turned about with a defensive slash to cut his way out of the death trap Raijin was planting. Then, in a matter of seconds he had unleashed a string of relentlessly brutal attacks to wear his opponent down, and finally, there seemed to be some progress as Raijin's legs began to falter beneath him. Raijin was forced to repel each blow with the sturdiness of his staff, but couldn't maintain the strength it took to defend Squall's movements. Squall sensed that his opponent's once originally strong junction presence was now fading away. Raijin was getting weaker with every successful powerful blow landed.

Squall gathered his strength and knocked the staff from the man's hands finally. He then found him Raijin crashing to his hands and knees, breathing heavily and exhausted. His head had been pounding, his face downcast.

"Can't die yet, not without seeing Seifer first," he said softly, but Squall thought he had heard him incorrectly. Then something ahead of him caught his eyes. That strange pack of moving bodies that had gotten past him somehow was now moving through the trees and plains upon the field down below. The large mass moved incredibly fast, inhumanly fast just as she said before.

"Raijin, retreat!" Fujin's voice rang from below whether aloud or in their minds, they both heard her. The man stood up immediately and grabbed his weapon from the ground. He smiled at Squall first, waved, and then leapt from the cliff to meet his comrade at the very bottom.

It seemed the mass was taking the same road Squall had taken to arrive there from Trabia, though the same could not be said of his attackers. They had disappeared completely. He wondered for a moment about Rinoa's safety and if she were ready for a real battle encounter.

Squall looked ahead above the plains and to the mountains that safeguarded Trabia.

"…Rinoa."

* * *

Her eyes had long since adjusted to the brightness of the snow. It would not cause her to lose sight of her target. She was now growing used to her new weapon of choice. It was a projectile weapon called the Pinwheel. Suffice it to say, she had only chosen it because it looked cute in a way, like an exotic bracelet. Other than that, it seemed to be better to chose a weapon that would allow her some distance between she and her enemies, and one that could also dual as a shield in case someone decided to send something not so friendly her way. This weapon worked well on flying monsters, and had taken out the local Bite Bugs in a breeze. She wondered what her father would think of her now, building weapons from scratch and using them almost proficiently.

She had began with the basic design, as it was the easiest to build considering the other models seemed to ask for materials that were out of her reach for the moment, though she did come across the writer's old collection of rare materials for weapon making and such, and found a couple of them that came to fit her needs. There were all but a few pieces of materials that would be needed, and Rinoa learned that a few of the monsters nearby carried these items. It would become her next task. She was to defeat those designated monsters and retrieve her rewards, and then build a stronger model weapon.

Rinoa often thought about the entire point of having a weapon at all, especially a 'strong' model. Did it really need to be strong? Was she really planning to use it on person later? For now, it didn't matter. Her only enemies consisted of volatile monsters out for blood. She even functioned better in a fight knowing her life was on the line. It seemed she was able to focus her powers more and direct that energy into the weapon grafted upon her arm to boost its strength. Her right index finger had become numb to the trigger that needed to be pushed with each attack, and every day she was getting faster and stronger. Her body was finally finding its balance and making a mold of a steady defense, a worthy adversary to the beasts roaming about the snow fields.

She was sure that she had grown in the last couple of weeks, probably more now than ever in her entire life. Sure, before her life changed drastically, she had never had to pick up a weapon and fight the wandering fiends, like the Bite Bugs, in one on one combat, but regardless of her inexperience, she knew there was definitely a great improvement on her part. However, it seemed that the more she improved and grew confident in her skills, the more the journal writer had also in her own drabbles.

Lately, Rinoa found that the writer seemed to become obsessed with living and being alone, to the point where she rebuked the idea of sharing her life or reaching out to anyone anymore even if they desperately needed the help. While it was astounding to find someone completely dedicated to their studies, and wanting to take care of themselves, Rinoa was a bit sad for her.

The girl realized there was a sudden growing obsession with sexism and why men always had to be superior, questions and rants the writer had jotted down in a hurry, sometimes stopping in the middle of a sentence out of anger. She was unsure if she should continue reading. It wouldn't be a good idea to get her mind filled with someone else's ideas.

For now, Rinoa focused on finding the mesmerize herd. The writer informed her of their dangerousness, despite their natural beauty, that is, those of the beasts that hadn't succumbed to the harshness of its surroundings. She was warned about the Mesmerize's dangerous blade, that and the fact that they had always attacked in groups. It was rare to find one alone. Hopefully she would have that chance of rarity.

Rinoa recounted the items she had already obtained back at the cabin: there was the Cockatrice pinion and the bundle of sharp spikes, and she would be adding the mesmerize blade to ensure her weapon could be built in top shape.

If everything went well, she would have created a pinwheel with a deadly blade. Hopefully, she mused, it would be deadly to monsters and not to people. Perhaps they would see it, in all its glory, and turn away from her. The girl sighed. She knew it was wishful thinking.

The road became quiet almost immediately. The trees wafted silently within the faint breeze.

It was a not so peaceful silence that filled the air again, almost like when she had first arrived at the cabin and witnessed the silence that crept there inside. The silence was foreboding. It was almost eerie.

A shriek rippled from the forest line and a couple of pony-like beasts tore through the bushes, hooves charging at the girl head on. Rinoa held up her pinwheel to block them, but they made sure to extend their blades to meet her skin.

Thankfully they stopped before reaching her and Rinoa prepared herself further. She instantly knew why people considered the Mesmerize's blade to be supernatural. She saw them glowing against the paleness of the snow, emanating a bright violet, a familiar color, and then the blade detaching from its top. The beast stood at its hind legs and prepared to sling the blade toward her, and away it went, slicing through the wind like a boomerang, just barely missing her head and then arriving back to the beast where it reattached itself majestically.

There was no time to be amazed. Rinoa was sure to dodge the other one, quickly wishing that it was blind for just a moment, and as she thought it, a dark cloud formed over the second Mesmerize' eyes. Quickly, she gathered her breath and created a large fire in her hand, then thrust it forward. The fire ran upon the snow first, travelling toward them and setting aflame their fur. The moment they were distracted by this, Rinoa fired off her pinwheel and landed a double shot. She was surprised to find that the blade had slashed across them both, slicing away at that vital vein upon their necks.

When the beasts' death cries sounded in unison, she lowered her weapon. She was sure, even from far away that the beasts were dead.

Rinoa made her way back to the cabin, carrying away her spoils. She would immediately find the notebook and head outside to start work on her newest weapon. It would be her greatest concern for the time being.

She followed the instructions; melting the items, welding them down into the fire, curing the metal into a thick scarlet blade and finally piecing them together. After long hours in the workshop, her weapon was finally formed: The Cardinal. Days like these, she rarely stopped to rest or eat. To be more concise, she rarely ate at all. She found that it was easier to focus on building her sorcery skills up with all the snow and coldness around. What was the point in rushing to feel that cold, dull numbness in her fingers and toes, and trying to fight away a chill that would never leave? She decided that if she wanted to make herself feel completely normal again, she would wait until the climate was a lot warmer or at least tolerable.

"…That should do it, I guess," she looked down at the weapon and took a deep breath. "…Might be time for a test run."

Outside, she paced the snowy plains. She had usually kept to the plains as things, like monsters, were easier to see. In the forest, she knew that there were stronger and more hostile monsters inside, so she had always stayed away, but now, there was something different about the atmosphere today. Maybe it was her newfound confidence in her weapon. Somehow, she felt that those monsters would not be a problem for her. Rinoa equipped the Cardinal and started on her way into the forest.

It was quieter than she had expected. It sounded as though the snow had buried the trees inside noise cancelling cocoon. All the surviving leaves had been covered white crystals, thawing just enough to remain attached to their winter homes. If Rinoa could feel any temperatures at all, she was sure to feel that the temperature was rising in this small haven. It seemed a bit warmer inside, or was it a feeling of uncertainty crawling at the edge of her back, a heat that couldn't be ignored.

The girl bit her lower lip and continued. Now was not the time to become nervous.

Suddenly the ground shook, causing all the fully clothed trees to tremble, snow sprinkled like salt from their branches. Nearby birds fled from the towering forest around her. The earth trembled again, this time accompanied by a monstrous roar. The girl looked around for the culprit, but found nothing. However, it was there, naturally unseen to the untrained eye. She was blinded by its camouflaged, snow-like fur, and it knew. The beast preyed upon her fear and confusion, procrastinating until surprise was no longer in its favor. Finally it emerged, bursting from beneath the mounds of the terrain and flounced through the snow in rage. Snow fell from its back in chunks as if it had been buried beneath the element for years, centuries perhaps. Rinoa had trespassed into its territory and it had every right to remove her, forcefully if necessary. It would not allow her to go so easily.

The snow lion was a huge beast with great morale, probably having been named a lion for that reason alone since its body was shaped more like a seal or walrus. She had run into one of these beasts before and had tried to fight it off even with her powerful fire attacks, but for some reason, it just didn't want to die or go away. She ended up fleeing as a result, something deemed necessary from the beginning of the battle; possibly like she'd have to do with this one as well.

It was not one to trifle with. It was better to have a partner along to fight the great beast; otherwise it would spend its day charging a person to his or her death. Rinoa backed away slowly, hoping it would see that she was trying to leave, but it pursued her nonetheless, aiming the spike crested upon its forehead forward in an attempt to dually head butt her backward and staple her into a nearby tree.

Alternately, she would have hated to fall down into a pit with sharp rocks or to fall from a cliff as a result of the trauma from the deadly head butt; unfortunately, that seemed to be this Snow Lion's only intention. There was no way out of this one, she thought. Rinoa readied her cardinal for an attack.

_-Pooom-_

A rush of light fell upon the snow lion, and the girl stepped back immediately.

The beast growled, writhing in agony behind the burst of light. It was difficult to tell what was happening to it. Finally when the light faded away, she saw that the beast remained there a moment, wiggling about, but then its body seemed to combust all at once. Its remains withered away in a matter of seconds. Rinoa swallowed her breath hard. What on earth had just happened?

"This is no place for a pretty lady like yourself to be wandering about, miss," she heard a little boy's voice from above her. The girl turned around immediately, looking up, searching the tree only to find that no one was there.

She looked around, making a full circle, as if trying to see where or who it had come from, but he was gone. Rinoa scratched her head and then searched again, but to no avail. She decided that it was best to head back to the cabin and figure out what had just happened.

Once back at the cabin, Rinoa couldn't shake away the feeling that something was headed her way. Or was it because of the curious little boy? Who and where was he anyway? More importantly, _what _was he?

Maybe he was from the town that was up the road?

Even so, what had he done to that snow lion? Whatever it was it was serious, and chilling. Obviously he was no ordinary child from the town.

She hadn't exactly tried to venture into the town since it wouldn't be fruitful to have others aware of a new neighbor among them. There would be no point in getting more people involved in what would later become another search for her. Regardless, she was learning to enjoy her own company more anyway. It wasn't like she was lonely or completely alone. Griever hadn't always answered, but he did speak to her often. Other than him, she always had that journal writer to turn to whenever days were rough.

Rinoa immediately walked to the dining table where she had last left the notebook, and took a seat then grabbed it into her hands. She had made remarkable progress and was finally approaching the last page, the very last of the writer's words. Maybe things were happening in all good timing, and it would soon be time for her to depart. The weeks had turned into a month or close to it, but she had lost track of all time. It was easier to lose track of time anyway. There would be no reward in counting days. Then she would be stuck counting the days since her father's passing, and since _he_ left. The girl groaned and shook her head to remove the thought; which strangely always seemed to work.

Finally she brought her attention back to the notebook and opened it to its last page. She was surprised to find that every single word had been written in red ink. Rinoa had grown accustomed to the usual black ink and sometimes even pencil carvings and such, but the blood red ink had thrown her through a loop. The words were unusually written, like the writer had been having a bad day or so. Rinoa read the words carefully and found that a voice did not accompany them like time before; rather, it was her own voice as she read it aloud:

"…The time is ripe. I am finally ready to make amends, to show this world that a woman is very well capable of handling power just as a man, maybe even better. No more will I be considered weak and feeble. I have learned to harness my powers and to absorb the very essence of what I am, what I have become, to channel it in a way that no other has ever dreamed. A being that is capable of becoming part of magic is elusive and invincible. I will never have to live in fear for the remainder of my life. They will fear me."

Rinoa realized at the very bottom of the paragraph, a name had been signed. When she brought her eyes to it, the girl gasped and muttered the name slowly.

"…A…Adel?"

And then there was darkness throughout the cabin. The wind beat against it mercilessly, flowing between the tiny crevices and throughout the old home. There was creaking all around. Rinoa suddenly felt lonely, abandoned, and cold, just as the cabin. The dining room rejected the natural illumination that would normally flow in through its windows. The brightness of the snow outside usually maximized the lighting in the cabin, but it was without that extra boost right in this moment. Rinoa began to see that the cold was catching up to her breath, and fog emerged from her breath into the open room. All at once Rinoa felt another presence in the room, like someone was standing behind her and at the fireplace.

She was frightened to turn around, scared to be correct.

"…_I did what needed to be done, even if you will never understand me, even if I will never understand myself."_

It was the voice of the woman from Squall's past, though younger than either had remembered. Rinoa was confused and scared simultaneously. Still, she refused to face her.

"…_There will come a time when you must make a choice. I have lost part of myself with that choice and can no longer be whole…"_

"…What do you mean?" the girl asked, wanting to look over her left shoulder at the other woman, but couldn't.

"…_When I am whole again, only then will you understand."_ Her voice was quiet, barely above a whisper. Rinoa found it creepy as she continued, _"…You and I are not so different after all; however, I believe there is a turning point for us. We will eventually overcome all."_

Rinoa's eyes narrowed immediately, abandoning her sudden fear.

"No," she protested, her back straightening in the chair. "What you did to him was unforgivable…and cruel. To say that I'm no different than you is a lie and I won't buy into that. If I have to make a choice, then I choose to not be like you or any of the sorceresses who used cruel tricks and killed to have their way. If I have the power to overcome anyone or anything, it's to overcome the greed for absolute power. I won't be controlled like you. I refuse to be like you."

"_It is not about being controlled, young one. It is sometimes easier than that. Sometimes there is only one path a person must take, and in those times, you will find yourself needing to become stronger just to get through. In the midst of that one path, you may begin to see a change in yourself. Do not be so hasty as to judge my life. I followed no one but my own intentions, and in doing so, I have made plenty of mistakes as well as gained accomplishments. It is impossible for me to recall the entirety of my life because I am no longer whole or alive; although, I do recall one thing before I was forced to make my decision… I fear you will know what I am referring to soon enough. I believe you have absorbed all you can understand for now." _

"Honestly…I don't understand _you_ at all. You became an evil sorceress, not by circumstances, but because you chose to be. You lived your life alone, not even attempting to live peacefully with anyone. And later, you wanted only for the resurrection of Griever, not caring about anyone or anything that was used and destroyed to carry out this plan. …What was it all for? You knew the pain of having everything stripped away from you at once and yet you purposely set out to inflict that pain upon _him._ He will never be the same again! Just like you. …Why would you do that? How could you do that to Squall?"

"…_Because…because Griever is the key to our freedom, therefore,"_ Adel paused, "_sacrifices had to be made."_

Rinoa released her breath and the cabin returned to normal. She was staring at a blank page in the notebook. The girl gasped and flipped through to find that all the pages were now blank.

"What on earth…?" Rinoa questioned the bewildering events, and her sanity. "…Was that really Adel….? Why was she young and….talking about being incomplete…? She made a martyr out of Squall…"

The brunette faced the window and saw that the sun was now setting. The days seemed to get shorter every day, shorter and weirder.

Rinoa stood from the table and took a deep breath. It would be foolish to not heed Adel's words, even if they were just as twisted as Squall's past. _Squall… _Rinoa brought her hands to her face and wiped her tired eyes a bit. There was so much she couldn't possibly understand all being poured out to her at record speed, and it seemed whether she understood it all or not, the events in her life would continue to play out before her, forcing her to participate.

It seemed in that moment of standing, she found herself falling incredibly weak. The girl touched her hand to her forehead, and stumbled toward the chair again. She crashed onto it and closed her eyes, shutting out the dizziness. It felt as though all of her energy had been drained suddenly, and an uneasy spirit loomed above her. When that same spirit descended upon her, maybe even into her, she blanked out completely.

Her eyes opened to a soft an enchanting light and a warm summer breeze.

Rinoa found herself walking barefoot in an open meadow, holding her shoes in hand. She had been walking through a vast flower field of white flowers, where a white picket fence outlined its perimeter. At the edge of the flower field, one particular white flower stood out from among the rest. It was a rose, a simple and elegant wild rose. It was captivating and radiated with natural beauty, and divinity. Rinoa decided to reach down for it, hoping to at least rest her fingertips upon it; however the moment was stolen away by an incredible gust of wind sweeping her from her feet. She closed her eyes against its violent blustering, scared that she would be carried away forever, but then it stopped all at once and she fell into a soft flowerbed. She felt safe and secure now lying there on her back in the grass. It would be safe enough to enjoy the view again.

Unfortunately when the girl opened her eyes this time, she found a familiar physique clothed in black standing at her side, his shadow cast upon her now frightened face and body. She was afraid because his weapon was drawn, a weapon she had witnessed in his past. He was now raising it high above her torso. His face was stern and menacing. It was as if his eyes had not known her at all, had seen right through her soul.

Rinoa found her voice faltering in that moment, tears fumbling at her eyes. Her tears had trembled at the sight of his Lion Heart, and were now begging him for mercy.

"Squall…no," it was all she could muster from her parted lips and caving throat seconds before he plunged the blade of the Lion Heart deep into her chest and straight through her heart.

Rinoa shot up from the table immediately after, her body covered in perspiration

_Squall…why? _

Was it another fair warning or the true conclusion to that recurring dream? Had she gotten a taste of her future, her fate, or was it all to be considered madness like the rest of her crumbling sanity because of him? No, now was not the time to think about him. She pushed him far from her mind, especially now.

The girl trotted to the hallway, reaching the bathroom. Inside, she toggled the faucet handle to the cold water and thrust her hand through its miniature waterfall. Forming her hands into a cup, Rinoa pulled water to her face, wiping away the irritations upon her mind, so to speak. She was thankful that she could still feel the touch of water, hot or cold, and the touch of her own body upon her skin. It seemed that the more she trained, the more her body became capable of finding a solution as to why she could not feel the cold air. The stronger she became, the more she was able to withstand the natural urges of a sorceress. She was evolving into a sorceress who could tolerate the best of both worlds, if only her powers remained in a balance.

Was she the only one who was able to find that balance? Was it because the others lacked proper training that they allowed their powers to run rampant and suggest that there would only be one path to take in order to survive? For now, she would just take the advantage of being able to still feel human, even though it had been weeks since her last bite to eat. Regardless, it wouldn't change the fact that something was headed there and she would need to leave right away. Rinoa lifted her face from the bowl, raising it to the mirror only to find a reflection that had been distorted with madness.

A young face with silver hair was what now made up her reflection. Then, thin vein-like streams formed upon her forehead becoming wider and thicker by the second until forming purple lines that streaked across her face. Golden eyes burned as true as Griever's in the darkest of nights. There was a wary grin upon this woman's lips, exacting the likes of which she had seen in Balamb. It was the same woman from before, "No!" the girl yelled.

"No!" Rinoa yelled again, a shout that shattered the glass above the faucet bowl instantly. Its pieces scattered about and what remained of the jagged edges of mirror upon the wall reflected multiple images of Rinoa's face, her teenage face, the only face she had ever known to have and should have for now.

The girl stood in place for a moment, hands clinched at the sink, her breath barely on the move. What was happening to her? If she stayed in this cabin any longer, she just might go insane if she hadn't already.

_Rinoa… _Squall's voice called to her suddenly, calmly. _Head for Centra. I'll be there._

_Centra…?_

Where in Centra? Why now? Why was he responding to her now? She couldn't take it any longer. What did he want from her anyway? What was his purpose? At times when she thought he wanted nothing but to be as far away from her as possible, he reappeared like there was nothing wrong between them. Was he an enemy or a friend, and why didn't he ever just admit to one, oppose the other and fully commit to it? Why couldn't he just tell her the truth directly?

Anger flushed through her veins, frustration was more like it, or perhaps both.

Rinoa grabbed her things and ran out of the cabin into the night to find some peace and tranquility, to find stability, and if possible, answers. She wasn't even sure if she knew how to get to Centra anyway. It sounded as though he wanted her to magically appear there to meet with him. Meet with him? Maybe then she would be able to confront him about her nightmares, about everything. If the dream were true, then she might be able to put an end to his madness and manipulative behavior. She was strong on her own now. She didn't need to rely on him as much anymore.

If only he could see her in action and understand that she would no longer tolerate being the subject of his angst and hatred, maybe then would he truly let go of his past. Maybe then he would see her as simply Rinoa...

Suddenly, gunfire poured in from all around her. Rinoa fell into the snow, covering her head.

Was it Galbadia?

After a prolonged minute, the gunfire came to an end. She heard heavy footsteps tracking against the puffy snow, approaching her body from behind. Rinoa looked up from her place on the ground to find a man wearing a silver uniform, face completely covered as he stared down at her. Seeing that she was still alive, he tilted his head to the side. Rinoa noticed that at his waist hung a weapon that looked very much like a small pickaxe.

He allowed his eyes to follow hers and realized she was staring at his weapon, prompting him to grab the weapon by its handle so that the mid faced her, like the nose of a gun. Ironically, Rinoa saw that a gun had actually been grafted into this pickaxe, much like Squall's gunblade. For a moment, she remembered her nightmare and how Squall had plunged his gunblade through her heart. The girl shook her head in rebellion. Her death would not come by anyone's blade or gun, but Squall's, and even that was not what she had wanted to believe nor would she allow it to be. Rinoa refused to allow men to frighten her anymore.

By then, the soldier received from her a very grim and haughty pair of eyes. Rinoa narrowed them to intensify that glare. In her mind she visualized this soldier being blown from before her in a huge gust of wind. Within moments he did just that, flying backward and crashing through a few others before slamming into a nearby tree. He struck it with a crackling thud.

Strangely enough, she heard no screams from him or any of the others caught by the force of wind that had snatched him up. Their bodies sounded rather hard and mechanical when landing on the ground and such. The girl rose to her feet and stood in the snow, watching the three of them scattered about on the ground, and then outstretched her palm. Slowly the cold mist in the air began to gather at her fingertips. All at once, she had thrust upon them the winter chill from nature's lips and caught them up together into the molding of ice. Their bodies were captured in a boulder of ice, frozen and stopped in time and ice magic. It would be enough to keep the rest from pursuing her for now.

She would use this time to disappear into a cloak of darkness provided by the night shade from the trees surrounding her now before more soldiers had spotted her. There were too many to fight alone. Fleeing was a definite priority for now.

It felt like forever trudging through stubborn snow. As the sorceress made her escape deeper into the forest, the remainder of troops had been right on her trail every step of the way. Rinoa had made a great distance from the town, but was still in Trabia nonetheless, still in the company of rough terrain. She pushed her boots to the limit; after all, they had been built to endure the rough journey that was becoming her daily life.

Finally, she had found a safe haven in the forest, a place where the snow had yet to fall. Her tracks would be undetectable from here on out. The rugged ground made it hard for anyone to see any movement with the naked eye as it was equally as dark as it was hazy. Hopefully they would lose her footprints in the snow, give up and call it a day. If they were smart men, they would.

Who were they anyway? The uniforms were familiar, suggesting they were soldiers to some place almost as otherworldly as Esthar. It wouldn't be impossible to say that Estharian troops were indeed in the area as Esthar wasn't too far away and located on the same continent as Trabia. But why were they after her and how would they know about her? Did news of her description travel that far? Wouldn't be impossible for that to happen, but how? How did anyone know?

The only person who knew of her present location was Squall, and she knew he wouldn't just give out her location so easily, not unless he was up to something...or…

Did something happen to Squall?

Darkness fell upon her suddenly. The mass of soldiers trudged uphill toward the forest where Rinoa sat in wait, in hiding. _Won't they just leave us alone? _The girl cried within, thinking of Squall and herself.

And she looked behind, out in the openings of the forest, and found them gathering in a huddle, some lifting their weapons as if scanning the area.

"Target spotted. Fire at will," she had heard of their commander, who appeared to be on his way toward her despite his men who were now firing at her. There was no way he could withstand bullets like that, she thought. No way could anyone unless he was no longer human. Maybe he was never human at all. But how could that be possible?

"Surrender or die, Sorceress!" A robotic voice emerged from the commander as he charged forward after Rinoa, who had finally revealed herself out in the open to them. She lifted the cardinal, and then pulled its trigger, sending the crimson cardinal about its way. It soared through the air and sliced at the cyborg's neck, decapitating it immediately. The mesmerize blade truly was mesmerizing.

"!" She was surprised to find that her suspicions were correct. Electrical wiring buzzed at the site of her fresh kill. There were yellow and red wires emerging from its neck, sparkling in the dull night. At its defeat, Rinoa found that she would be able to take them all on since they appeared to share the same body type as their fallen commander.

"Keep firing!" A secondary commander emerged from the crowd, pointing at her, and then signaling for five from their group of twenty to pursue her in hand to hand combat. Rinoa took a deep breath and remembered that she had the upper hand in magic skills. She had remembered the lessons given to her by Adel about the types of magic and how she could use all sorts of magic if only her thoughts reflected the direct and indirect elements that made up their world. When those thoughts were concentrated and became strong enough, she could make a living manifestation of the natural elements and proceed to demonstrate them in whatever her heart desired, manipulating all of the natural elements into physical power. After that lesson, Rinoa realized how terrifyingly easy it could be to lose ones morals and begin to abuse this gift.

Curse or blessing, that was all in the eye of the beholder.

She extended her hand and commanded that the earth falter beneath them. The trembling caused those standing behind firing shots to stumble about and those running ahead to lose footing. Some cyborgs fell between the trembling quake attacks while the others fought to remain standing in one place. After the spell ran its course, Rinoa went among the struggling soldiers, aiming at the drones that were closer to destruction, and released finishing blows upon them. As she added to the cardinal's experience, she was glad to have been obedient to Griever in that time required of her to stay at the cabin and study. Without those basic lessons, she might not have been able to survive this long in her regular mind against the soldiers.

Some of the cyborgs who still had strength got up and charged at her, swinging their pickaxes at her wildly, forcing the young woman to dodge them and drop down suddenly. She would form crystallizing patterns beneath them, and watch as a sharp rock of ice spiked up from the ground, in some cases splitting their mechanical bodies into two.

She found that for now, ice was the most effective as it could become hard as stone, easily disassembling them upon impact.

_Rinoa_… Rinoa immediately gasped. It was Squall's voice entering into her mind yet again. He must have been nearby. _Be careful..._

The girl in blue had a moment to pause in her battle. The soldiers' numbers were incredibly thin now, and she was able to lower her weapon. Rinoa stared at the ground momentarily, baffled. _Be careful? _

She merely chuckled at his words, though the voice of her mind lacked that laughter altogether. She was as stern as he had appeared in her nightmare.

…_You walked away from me. You never answered me. You left me to fend for myself because it would be easier on __you__! …Last time you told me you wished for my death, but now you want me to be careful? What do you want from me, Squall! _Rinoa took a deep breath between her thoughts, watching as the silvery armored demons emerged from the earth. They were crawling back up to conclude their mission. Rinoa took to her defensive stance. _But you know what? I shouldn't have ever doubted Griever. He was right all along. You just want to try to stop me as much as possible, right? _

…

_Well, while you abandoned me, I've learned what I needed to learn and I got stronger! I know how to survive on my own now, and I don't need you to tell me to be careful._

_Rinoa…please…_

_In fact, I don't need you at all, Squall… _"I…I need Griever here," she spoke aloud and looked up at her pursuers immediately. "At least with _him_, there are no complications…" The air around her became lifeless. She stared ahead at them with narrowed eyes.

"Griever…"

Rinoa closed her eyes when they had started to dash toward her, and as soon as they neared her, she opened her eyes.

_Rinoa, no!_

"Grie-ver!" She screamed with the ground collapsing around her, destroying everything.

From afar, Squall gazed upon Trabia with trembling eyes for the last time tonight. She had merely chastised him by repeating his words and actions back to him and already it was too much to take in. His spirit and body had then faded into the wind. Griever emerged in a brilliant light and had travelled at a maniac speed in the night. He left a streak of crimson and pearl light in the sky behind him. Squall retained his role as a prisoner to the beast as Rinoa had called upon it. Griever was now airborne some miles away from where Rinoa was, after being summoned there by her heart. He sensed her presence becoming stronger.

Unexpectedly, a great sphere of light engulfed the land. It burned brighter and grew into a wider radius that destroyed all in its path. Griever was forced to hover above the area until the light went away; however, it was obstinate, like a stagnant explosion.

_-Rinoa…-_ Squall's voice coursed within the great lion. _–Where are you?-_

"**The girl has grown in strength. Pretty soon, she will be a worthy adversary. It was all necessary."**

_-Necessary…? If so then, why do I feel like…-_

"…**Since when do **you_**feel**_**?"**

-…-

As soon as the light disappeared, Squall sensed something was wrong. To his confirmation and Griever's surprise, Rinoa was nowhere to be found, nor had her guardian been allowed to traverse with her.

* * *

_The Shelter Gardens, Balamb- _

Quistis entered into the chambers below ground, the stench from weeks of clean up from the wreckage remained in the walls around her. The shelter had sustained incredible damage from the lava, but it could still be utilized, the lower levels anyway. The lava had only reached down a couple of levels and into some of the rooms before being stopped by the earth's natural defenses, the hard ground itself. She went down inside before anyone else to neutralize the remnants of Ifrit's fire. With him being part of her now, she could control his fire at anytime, and was thereby the only person capable of saving the shelter at Balamb from any more deterioration. Now, while she and the others had been onboard the cruiser working to handout weapons and such, other men had stayed behind hoping to salvage their past home. Of course, Quistis no longer saw it as a home, but as a new haven for her and her men to dwell within while their plans would begin to take form.

There was a circular depression at the center underground. It was farther than Quistis or Seifer had ever gone before. He stared upon it curiously, wondering what was being kept below aside from Ifrit's living space deep underground. Quistis ordered her men to open it, but they found it a struggle. As she was about to gather her strength to crush the lever inside herself, Selphie had climbed down the ladder and approached her with a smile, "…I have something to tell you."

The blonde placed her right hand on her hip and shifted her weight to the side, "What is it?"

Seifer had heard her words and was delivered from his thoughts. He cocked his head to the side, curiously. His movement somehow grabbed the girl's attention and she immediately turned her eyes toward him, pointing her stuffed animal at him, "Your thoughts are still your own despite this half sorceress' weak magic, huh."

Quistis turned to him abruptly, glaring.

"You should be grateful he's still here," Selphie chuckled, looking upon Quistis in amusement. "She must be _very_ important to him."

"It's just a body," Quistis answered, facing the girl again.

"A body that doesn't belong to you," the girl whispered at first, but then continued, "There's no reason to get worried, _Lady_ Quistis. I will reunite you with your true body and also you, Seifer, with your lost friends in due time. That's what you've been worrying about lately, isn't it?"

Quistis grew agitated. Why wasn't he completely under her spell?

"All this is to say that…" the girl muttered. "I know where the sorceress is and where she will be in three days time."

Selphie's crooked grin was as childlike as it was disturbing, and Seifer didn't like the fact that she could read his mind all along, but was amazed to know that he might actually find his friends once more. Their whereabouts had indeed been on his mind as of late.

"Good," Quistis said finally. "…I'll need soldiers rather than these regular townspeople with weapons. Seifer," she turned to her 'mindless' puppet with a grin, "Bring that Galbadian boy to me. He's gotten quite comfortable here."

"As you wish, my lady," Seifer answered as he bowed and then walked toward the ladder. He knew exactly the person she had in mind.

* * *

_Author's Corner:_

* * *

_THANKS FOR READING! _

_Alright so, I said it before and I'll say it again. I do not write my stories for reviews alone, I write because it's my leisure time, my hobby. Am I saying that a person should forego reviewing me at all? No, but I am saying that I'm more concerned about the quality of the story and receiving feedback for that purpose. I write when I am inspired to write and not for a deadline, so I won't update just because I fear losing readers. For this particular story, I feel it is time to finish up and end it because I believe I have what it takes to do so now. Let me tell you something, I'm not one to wallow in the past, but [God forbid] when you get hit by a hurricane that breaks levees and water comes and kills, and destroys your life, everything you have, own, and have ever understood, come back and talk to me. 'It puts you behind schedule' is an understatement. It forces you to recall what's important in your life. Anyway, now that I'm back, and thanks for the welcome back, I know where I'm going with this story. This story's been with me over the years, but I couldn't return to it the way that I was. I was disturbed. Forgive me for taking forever, but I think my priorities have been correct from the beginning. If an author disappears, check up on them while they're away. We appreciate knowing that someone actually gives a damn about __**us**__, before the story, I know I do._

_So anyway! Lol! Thanks guys for reading and reviewing! Screw the instant reply button; it takes away the fun of replying with the update like I used to do. _

_Thanks Tears Parallel, Crow Skywalker, Aichioluv! _

_Ray_

_P.S. When a hobby starts to feel like a job, or a hated chore, it's not fun anymore. It's no longer a hobby, at which point I'll bail. Also, it's really difficult to write with a broken computer, eh? Hehehe! Seeya soon!_


	18. Naked

_**There is no strength within a heart of darkness, there is only a child standing alone, naked and ashamed.**_

_**18**_

_**Naked**_

_Deling City, Galbadia—_

Watts was tossed through the doors of the Galbadian Military's mansion by Quistis' soulless guards. The soldiers outside would have stopped them, but found they were quickly no match for these men, as they were stronger, faster, and eager to result to drastic measures.

The military mansion served as a base and residency for the current general of the galbadian army. Its stone architectural walls captured the very essence of the galbadian culture and history. It would forever stand strong, firm, and persevere regardless of the times, troubles, and sorceresses to walk amongst them. The mansion had served as the last five general's bases and three of them had actually had the honor of defeating the sorceresses of his time. General Biggs had that honor once already, having seen to the death of Sorceress Edea under his rule years ago. Naturally, he wanted to be the first general to have two sorceress' annihilated by his hands.

He was a very stoic man, very cold at times and often went above and beyond to have his orders completed precisely. He was also one to not take lightly. Defeating the soldiers in his well guarded mansion would not be overlooked so easily, Watts knew that. Still, he allowed them to follow him with their weapons pointed at his back and to the oncoming soldiers as he navigated them throughout the lofty mansion, hall by hall. The interior was brightly illuminated by smaller chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Plants and other forms of greenery emerged from the ancient pottery aligned at the walls and at the bases of the corners upon every turn. They walked by the headstones of Galbadia's proud predecessors, with placards telling the story of each and every mustached general in his prime. There were never any bad reports, but constant progression. To every new general, more had been accomplished, such that the defeat of Sorceress Rinoa seemed likely to be, rather than impossible.

The people knew it would be a matter of time before General Biggs announced his victory. Still, they waited quietly and in fear. The girl had disappeared without a trace and could be anywhere. Watts knew without a doubt that over the last weeks he had been the company of a rather unusual bunch and that they would definitely know of her whereabouts. He was never allowed much private time with the bossy blonde, not that he wanted to spend any extra time in her presence, but he also knew there was definitely something inhuman about her. He had managed to stay in his correct mind by avoiding her at all costs, unless it couldn't be helped. Watts made sure to remain busy during his stay aboard the vessel; thankfully, she and her main bodyguard were rarely ever onboard. Taking a look behind him quickly, he was not surprised to see that that particular bodyguard was not present with the others who had easily fallen victim to Quistis' beauty.

It was all he could think of to describe her sense of charisma, though far from the positive influence. It was more like an oppressive approach to her men. There was something mystical about her, but it seemed he had always appeared a second or two too late to witness exactly what had been happening onboard the vessel; however, there was always a certain aura lingering about the room and the strange glare in the eyes of her men, including Seifer at times. Strangely, there was no trace of that emanation from her bodyguard the day he had been order to grab Watts and bring him before Quistis.

Watts briefly recalled that moment he was ordered to kneel before her and tell them everything he knew about the army and its general. He thought maybe he had been too obvious, but his days were spent remaining quietly in the background and handling smaller tasks aboard the vessel or helping to clean when they had docked in Balamb. When asked about his relations with the army, he knew she had had some sort of mystical influence, and so had that little girl who was now travelling with them. Ever since he locked eyes with Quistis on that day the girl arrived, he knew his time was running short. Try as he could, he could not stand to be around little Selphie. All her ways were eerie. Her fragile smile sent chills up and down his spine, scarier than his situation now as he was being led through the mansion at gunpoint.

After his short confession and telling them all the little details he knew about the army's agenda, he was told to remain on his knees while Quistis pulled her counterpart, Seifer, to the side. She whispered something to him and the two eventually exited. Moments later, Quistis returned alone to the room he was being held in and told him that he would now be the messenger of her plans, and if he refused, he would suffer a fate worse than death, though she did not delve into the details of this fate. Watts was thankful. He was ready to become the messenger rather than suffer anything much longer.

So there he was now, leading her men through the incredibly open mansion, surprised by the lack of guards on this night. Only then when he thought of them, did more soldiers appear. They were clad in green armor and raising their weapons, aiming at the heads of him and the large group of men behind him.

Watts found himself becoming the mediator to these men, telling the soldiers to stand down while he identified himself as one as well. Smarter soldiers lowered their weapons and urged the others to do the same. They then accommodated them, helping Watts by leading them to the general's office while keeping a watchful eye on the dangerous group. The general, who had just been briefing the ex-sergeant Wedge about his new objectives, was surprised when the doors burst open. General Biggs rose from his seat abruptly, slamming his hands on his desk and staring at the group of heavily armed men emerging behind the young man.

Officer Wedge turned his head about quickly, and then realized that the intruder was Watts dressed in regular clothing and then he noticed the others carrying weapons, filling the room. Watts looked like a regular teenager or an early twenty something outside of his uniform, having no real skills at all or so. Regardless, Wedge was quite glad to know that the young man was still alive, but was curious about the sudden intrusion as well.

"Private Watts, what is the meaning of this?" Wedge said, standing firmly with the general, slowly reaching for the pistol at his side without provoking the armed men to take any drastic steps. And there was a moment longer taken to study the men standing around him, weapons in hold, who looked like casual Vikings at the most, unshaved, barbaric, and having some sort of pirate appeal. Their appearance made Biggs' rectangular office appear small and a bit smelly. Immediately the general became embarrassed that this same group of men had made it this far into his home, even carrying weapons. What were his soldiers doing outside?

"Sergeant Wedge! I was uh," Watts spoke up finally. He cleared his throat and gave a strong salute, hoping that no one would ask about the details of his latest mission as the stated reasons would result in the dismissal of both he and Wedge. "Uhh. Permission to speak, sir, General Biggs, sir?"

"Permission granted," Biggs answered, watching as the armed men lowered their weapons slightly. The tensed atmosphere seemed to decrease as he had given his answer. Even Wedge relaxed the hand that was at the mercy of his holster.

"Thank you, sir," Watts dismissed his salute and gathered his breath. "These men represent the rebel forces that have been gathering and supplying civilians with weapons, sir. I was chosen to deliver a very personal and important message to you about a very serious matter, sir. To avoid unnecessary hostility, I had no other choice but to lead them here sir, as I realized the importance of this matter and decided it was for the best to approach you this way, sir. They would like to report not only the sightings, but also the current whereabouts of the sorceress, sir! I assure you these proclamations are not fake!"

"The sorceress…?" Both Biggs and Wedge questioned in unison.

"…Continue," Biggs gestured his hand, relaxing his arms and standing firmly behind his desk. His dark and rough hair seeming to become even more unruly with confusion as the young man spoke, but he ignored it for now.

"Thank you sir," Watts saluted him. "Twice the sorceress was spotted in Trabia before disappearing again. Due to a sound pattern in her ways, they believe to know where she will reappear in exactly two days and are sure about it; in fact, they are so sure that she will appear there, that they're willing to declare a truce with the military and with combined efforts, focus on annihilating the sorceress for good, sir."

There was silence among them, a questionable silence. No one knew what was going on through the mind of the general as he was very unpredictable at times.

"Where will she be?" He asked sternly, in a husky voice.

"I'm not authorized to reveal that just yet, only if you agree to the truce first, sir" Watts shrugged his shoulders, his eyes shifting between the two men.

"…Hmm," Biggs rubbed his chin. He knew that any force with only guns as it main weaponry was no match for the galbadian army, but having the sorceress' exact location would be very valuable information. He could always crush both the rebel forces and the sorceress with his new plan of attack; however, that depended on the location. For now, it would be smarter to accept their gesture of peace. "…Very well, I will accept their offer; however, I will not be responsible for any deaths that should befall them due to my use of force," Biggs' eyes narrowed at the sight of the brutes standing about his room, their weapons were completely lowered now. "…That's your reward for barging into my base like this."

"Agreed," an unfamiliar voice spoke into the room behind all the men, it was a voice of a woman.

The men parted like a sea from behind, taking places on both sides of the room as her tall figure appeared in the doorway. Quistis made her way inside the small room with a grimly smirk. "You seem mighty confident in your instruments, general."

"Who are you?" He asked, mostly amused that a woman commanded the men around them without having said a single word to them. Her presence brought about a sense of urgency on his part, or was it because she was strikingly beautiful. Her blue eyes sparkled like gemstones in the dim lighting of his room. All eyes were on her, including his.

"I am the one behind this force you have labeled horribly as the 'rebel army'…such a cheap and trifling title."

"For cheap businesses as giving shotguns to untrained civilians, I find it fitting."

"I would be wary of my words to me, general. You may find yourself needing my assistance on that battlefield against the sorceress. All your little playthings would perish against her magic."

"And your guns will fight a better fight?"

"…That is only the first act, general," she smiled seductively. "Men of diminutive standards such as yourself can only imagine so little," she folded her arms. "If you want my assistance, the name is Lady Quistis to you."

The others in the room smirked. Even the soldiers standing outside hid their snickering. The general gritted his teeth together. "Just tell me where she is and we have a deal, and I suggest you stay out of my way."

* * *

Griever searched high and low for his sorceress, from the morning of the battle and till now. He searched until the sky showed signs of the sun's return. From above they had witnessed the conclusion of Rinoa's late night battle. Her magic had left a crater, a mighty wound to the earth in the midst of Trabia's plains. If anyone saw it, they would know without a doubt that the sorceress had been here. For now, the search would continue.

When Griever flew down near the hidden cabin where Rinoa had been staying, Squall, who was still being held captive within the beasts' conscience, felt an undeniable surge of her presence though he kept that information to himself. Ever since Griever belittled what was left of his humanly emotions, he hadn't spared a single word to the guardian of both he and Rinoa. The closer they came within reach of the abandoned cabin, the stronger her presence became. Rinoa was inside, he could feel her.

Then in the blink of an eye, his soul had been snatched from Griever's being. Squall was thrust into the depths of the cabin so fast. It was akin to bursting into a highly illuminated room after having endured an eternity of darkness. And there he stood, looking around and about himself quickly in total confusion. His heart pounded rapidly as he observed the area first. It was a rather small bedroom with faint light emerging from the window above the bed. Close to no furniture occupied this room, save for the nightstand that was pushed in the corner and to the left of the bed. The bed was little and seemed a bit dusty, offering only a few sheets and a thin brown cloth of a comforter at its top. The pillow was flat and untouched, appearing to be lonely, longing for someone to find rest upon it. There was not much room from the bed and to the door that was behind him, just a small dwelling space and silence.

He then brought his eyes upon his body, realizing that his heart hadn't pounded so rapidly before, maybe at all. Curiously, the young brunet lifted his gloved hands to his youthful face and then gave his body a closer inspection, touching his hands to his arms and then to his chest, feeling them against the pounding of his heart. It was remarkable. There was air filling his lungs, not that he hadn't been able to breathe before. But he was actually able to taste that air and smell the air in the room. He felt the beating of his heart within.

He was alive inside and out...for the first time in forever.

But what had happened, and where was he? How was he able to exist like this? Then his eyes returned to the bed and found a raggedy notebook lying upon it. It seemed to have been placed there intentionally.

Squall immediately approached it and snatched the book from the brown covers across the bed. He opened it to its first page and found only two words: _Behind you._ The brunet turned around abruptly, having heard her whispered voice as he had read those words, and there he found her standing at the doorway with a friendly smile upon her lips.

The garments draped on her, he had never imagined them upon her body before.

Rinoa stepped into the room from the doorway, her bare feet hitting the floor quietly, and softly. His eyes were enthralled by her fair and evenly peach skin. He almost thought she was naked. If not for the creases and skirt of her gently shimmering, pallid cocktail dress, he would not have been able to know the difference. It clung to her figure so naturally, so comfortably. It was pleasantly revealing and complemented all the appropriate areas, probably more than he wanted to know about her, or rather more than he tried _not_ to imagine about her. The tresses of her dark and slick hair protruded her shoulders, falling midway down her back. Her limbs were long and vibrant, making movements that were graceful and rich in life. Squall's eyes travelled up from her body and to her narrow neck, even going beyond to her face where he quickly noticed her full, pink lips, thin nose and then her soft, brown eyes that were like windows into her very soul. Her face was perfectly centered, perfectly aligned, and her eyebrows were sharp and intense, orbs focusing only on him. She was captivating. Every part of her was more mesmerizing now than ever before. Of course, he had never seen her this way, but he had also never allowed himself to see her this way before.

What was happening to him? His heart had gone rampant like a wild horse on the loose.

"…Rinoa….?" His voice was but a whisper, eyes softening by the second even though they displayed that sense of bewilderment.

She had stopped walking long ago; stopping short of some feet away from him though he hadn't noticed. He was living in that moment for as long as he could, secretly hoping it would never expire. The girl knew this and brought her hands behind her back, capturing them and lacing her fingers together. She grinned playfully and peacefully. Contrarily, she enjoyed having him wrapped about her finger for the moment, having him so caught up and entranced by her that it would make him come to regret the way he had handled her in their short journey together. It made her feel powerful, significant, sexy, and most of all, needed.

"Why can't you look at me like that all the time?" She asked him finally. "…I wish you could see me as a normal person, just like you saw Quistis that day in Balamb. I…know I'm not as pretty as she is, but I want you to look at me for who I am, for what's inside me rather than _what_ I am."

"Rinoa," he avoided her words, releasing a soft breath. Hadn't they had this discussion before? What more did she want from him? "…Where are we? What is this place? And…" he gave her body an overview once more before shaking his head to clear his mind of the sudden and distracting thoughts, "Why are you dressed like that?"

"…Do you like it here?" She squeezed her hands together, still holding them behind her back. The girl turned away from him, pacing the floor and placing one foot before the other. She circled the small area before him while clarifying, "…It's hard to explain where we are because I just followed my instincts. It happened so suddenly that I barely know all the details, myself. All I know is that I wished to see you as you are, and hopefully that you could do the same for me… I didn't think it would work so well, but here we are in this natural setting and regular. By regular I mean, without the power enhancers, or junction. I wanted _just_ your spirit, Squall. You should…" she inhaled and exhaled softly, "take a deep breath…take in your surroundings. Enjoy being away for a little while, being normal."

"Where are we?" Squall repeated, having no time for silly ideologies or games. "…Is this really your doing?" If so, then she really had learned much in their short time apart. Her power truly was set apart from the others in their history, by far.

"…" Her pacing came to an end as she faced him. Her eyes discerned the insecurities of his heart, having that same feeling course through her body as well. "…Are you uncomfortable? Are you nervous?"

He stood firmly, maintaining control of his outer appearance.

"You should be," Rinoa turned to him completely, immediately dropping her hands and entering into his personal space. She would not spare pity if he had indeed been nervous. "...I don't appreciate your inconsistency. You either hate me or you don't, that's what it boils down to. So what's it gonna be?"

Squall took a deep breath and looked away from her, placing a hand on his waist.

"That's why I brought you here…This is your last chance, Squall," her face grew stern. "This is your chance to tell me why you can't work past your hatred for sorceresses and see _me _as a person. I'm not a child. I deserve a direct answer from you, face to face. That's all."

"…" He bit his tongue.

The girl took a deep breath and balled her hands into fists. She grew agitated by his persistent silence, it was belittling. "I heard Ifrit that day… You keep hiding behind Griever! If you still can't give me a direct answer, then I'll be forced to move on and when I move on, I won't look back!"

"I told you before," Squall finally answered, bringing his eyes to hers briefly as he explained, "it won't work. The best thing you can do in this situation is forget me. Forget and erase everything you know about me from your mind and move on, like you already plan to do."

"Unbelievable…" her face scrunched up in anger. "You'd rather stand there and lie to me than tell me the truth."

He swallowed a large lump in his throat.

"I brought you here to get an answer from _you_. This place is for _us only_," Rinoa pointed to the wooden floor to emphasize her point, "Griever's not here." She sighed and continued. "You told me Griever was right about you being dangerous and so on, and that you didn't care if I died, but then you also told me to 'be careful' when I was in danger! It's happened plenty of times before! It's like you're double-minded and with amnesia!" The girl lifted her hands as if bringing her thoughts out to the open, "Here's a little advice: If you're gonna be heartless, then quit leading me on!" She dropped her hands. "And how can you stand there and tell me to forget about you when you can't even forget about me yourself! Just tell me the truth, Squall! Who are you, really? What do you want me to believe?"

Rinoa continued while motioning her right hand to her being, "Look into my eyes and tell me why you hate _me_. Tell me how you can hate a person who reluctantly became a sorceress for that matter," she groaned in frustration, "and if you can't tell me why, then stop blaming _me_ for what happened to you! I am not the one who killed everyone you loved. I care about you too much to do something so terrible to you, but you're so wrapped up in your past that you can't even see that! You can't even see _me_! Well, _this_ is _me,_ Squall!" She ushered her hands to her heart, "_This _has and will always be me! I'm just a girl your age living in a nightmare that's a lot like yours!"

Her eyes watered hoping that her words would hit home with him, "I know it's tough to have things happen beyond your control. I know what it's like to lose your family, your home! I know what it's like to be beaten! So how can you stand there and not give me an answer! Don't you see that I'm hurting just as much as you are? Don't you see that I can't move on until _you_ do? I need to move on like you want me to! _I_ _wanna_ move on too! Give me the truth so I can let go! Let me think differently about you, if that's what you want, but give me an explanation! I don't wanna keep…" She sighed and turned away from him. She brought a shaky hand to her forehead, soothing her mind if at all possible.

Her words seemed to have fallen upon deaf ears. There was no reaction on his part at all. He continued to stand there, avoiding her eyes. Was it all in vain? She took a soft breath and forced herself to complete her statement, regardless of how much it might have hurt to reveal that much. "…I don't want to feel like there's a chance you care about me even just a little when clearly you don't, right?"

Rinoa faced him once again, lowering her hand and finding that his eyes were still distant, still looking at the doorway behind her. She shook her head, upset with him, upset with her weakness as well. However, she wouldn't allow him to leave now, nor would she give up so easily like before. She wouldn't quit until achieving some sort of breakthrough with him, some sort of answer no matter how unbearable it was to hear or to at least get him to that point of sharing anything. The girl had then decided to level with him.

"…No matter how much I try to forget about you, I can't, and you know what I just realized? You won't let me forget you, though you'd never admit that out loud. But I know." The girl approached him slowly with heavy eyes. "So tell me, Squall, if you don't really care about me like you want me to believe, then why can't you keep your comments to yourself? Why can't you just leave me alone like you said you would? Why even bother telling me about the succession of sorceresses, about why I shouldn't die even though I deserve to?"

There was silence. It was like talking to a wall, an impossible wall guarding his heart. Rinoa could remember that once in a while, he would lower his guard and allow her a smidgen of insight into his heart, but now it was ridiculous. She simply felt foolish. Who was she kidding? He would never allow her completely inside. He would never allow her to tear down those walls; in fact, her words backfired and it hurt her more to be ignored by him now than to relive that one day being a sorceress in Dollet. She had tried to remain strong, realizing Squall respected persons with strong personalities; however, she was not strong in this sense. She could not stand being ignored, especially by him. And she recalled all the times along their journey and even when they had separated that she had called out to him in vain. Maybe he recognized that power he held over her, the power to manipulate her, and used it to his advantage. Because of his deeply rooted hatred for sorceresses, he would never care to hear from but only accompanied her for that time due to circumstances. It was like hearing Griever's words about him all over again.

"_**He has already forgotten about you." **_

Her throat was dry, crackling, and caving. Her eyes trembled, as had her entire body. Finally the tears she had been fighting so hard to hold back had begun to stream down her eyes like rivers from an overflowing lake. And for the first time ever; Rinoa didn't hide those tears away from him. She was hurting because of him, body and soul.

"…Squall…please…" There was no more need to remain strong. Even the thought of being strong was a facade, and like fragile glass. "Please just tell me why," she paused, swallowing her breath to help ease the pain in her throat. "…Not saying anything is just like lying to me, and it…it hurts to be ignored," she admitted, tears ever flowing.

"…I can't," he muttered, lowering his hand from his waist and bringing his eyes upon hers again. It was never his intent to make her suffer, even with his silence. However, Rinoa was glad to gain a response from him, any at all.

"…You won't understand," Squall whispered.

"But I'll _try_ to understand if you let me," she lifted her arms and pressed her hands against his shirt, into his hard chest and stared into his eyes, whispering, "…Let me in, Squall. Please? Let me know everything…"

His eyes fell upon her mouth, and her soft lips. Slowly, the shell he had created around his heart was beginning to disintegrate because of their closeness.

"I…" he took a deep breath, lifting his eyes to hers, "I just can't." There was something undeniable coursing through his being, a painful feeling equivalent to that which Rinoa was also experiencing, this he knew. Her eyes told him so. In that same moment, his face seemed to twist in agony, though briefly, in a way Rinoa had never seen before. His eyes had begun to glisten, red veins forming from the bottom and ventured up to his pupils. He opened his mouth slowly, as if wanting to continue but could not find the words.

Only seconds later did he find his voice again, "I…I can't tell you that I hate you because…that would be a lie, too. But you're right," his hands travelled up to hers first and then reached for her face, caressing her cheeks. The material between them was smooth and warm. "You deserve to know the truth, so here it is… Rinoa," Squall stepped closer to her and lowered his forehead down to rest against hers and then raised it back to meet her eyes again. His heart pounded so hard that she felt it beating beneath her hand.

"…I have to kill you."

She gasped at the end of his very last word. Warm tears streamed from her eyes. Squall immediately wrapped his arms around her and held her closely, pulling her into a comforting embrace as she cried silently into his coat. He hated to see her cry on his account, hated to see her cry at all.

"…So it's true," she whispered in the midst of her silent whimpering, bringing a hand to her mouth. Her horrible nightmares, the warnings, were true. Everything about him was true.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, stroking her hair and allowing her to rest her face against his shoulder as her cries weakened her. Rinoa closed her eyes, shutting out hot tears. He allowed her to remain there for an extended amount of time. It was all he had ever known to do to make amends with her, to at least help her get through a rough time. He tried to explain, "That's why I couldn't get close to you. I didn't want to. You were never supposed to like me that way…and…I had no other choice…"

"…Squall," her voice returned sounding hoarse. "…Are you, are you gonna go through with it?"

He stared across the room at first, already anticipating her response to his difficult answer. "…I can't break my oath," he muttered.

"…Oath? An oath with…?" the girl asked, stepping out of his embrace and resting her eyes upon his face once more. She regained control of her crying.

"…I could never break the oath," He retained that eye contact with her, adamant and twisted all in one "no matter what the cost," meaning he could not even go into detail about it but she was completely expendable, she concluded.

Rinoa stared into his blue oceans for eyes, into the depths of things unseen, unheard, and unspoken. Save for the red veins that had appeared, there was no mercy found in them, only heartbreak and distress. The little shred of hope she wished to find was rapidly dwindling away. She was losing the man who had told her to be careful, the one who knew how to make her smile in the most unconventional ways. Who was that person? Where was he? Rinoa searched his heart again; however, the longer she swam in that deep ocean, the harder it was to breathe. There was the pain of despair, of drowning, and of sinking into the abyss of darkness that was his heart. It was as if he lacked a soul. It would be difficult to translate her emotions into mere words, simple words for him to fathom.

"I…" she began. "…I can't believe you just said that."

"Rinoa," he grimaced, it pained him to admit any of it; but he had never been able to convey his feelings well. He could only imagine how heartless it must have sounded to her, but it was his nature. He had learned to take shelter behind Griever even before the beast had been resurrected, even after his bond with it had formed and matured. "I'm sorry…" It was all he could say. What else was there to explain? How could he possibly say anymore? How could he find the words?

How else could he comfort her?

Comfort... It was now as foreign to him as his past. He had even forgotten how to express remorse. Rinoa saw it in his face, the struggle and hurt and the callous entity coexisting together to make up his heart. He might have been unreachable, or maybe it was because he refused to be reached, even by her.

All her efforts were in vain.

And there it was; Rinoa's poignant frown. It was heartbreaking for him to witness, her silence even more than the former. She had never been without words before, even when he had mistreated her. Most times among their travels, she was impossibly optimistic about his rude behavior and was able to bounce back into the swing of things almost instantly. She always knew what to say to him, how to keep the peace between them. She always smiled in the toughest of circumstances. But now, that smile was gone. He had never seen her look as miserable as she had now, worse than the day she retaliated against the soldiers in Timber and was sad about defending her own life. Anyone else might have gloated upon the result of that very feat. Anyone else would have willingly deserted him because of his bad attitude and coldness. No one would have remained standing in his presence if he told them he would later have to kill them. He would probably never know the amount of pain he had unwillingly inflicted upon her, having forced her to bear the burden of unreturned love.

Gradually her unruly tears melted the icy surface of his heart and spirit.

Guilt and frustration now tormented his soul. If this was what it meant to empathize, he could not understand how she could continue to feel this way about him. Maybe this was why he had not missed being completely normal, having to deal with the pain of living, of being alive. Why would she want to hang on to her humanity, the sad part of it? It was full of pain.

After losing his parents, there was no one else to hold. He was alone in that sense and had always been, and because of that, Squall grew to understand the source of his power, the anger that made him stronger. Through that strength he had forgotten his sadness and could no longer pity anyone or himself. How could she ever expect him to comfort her the way she needed to be comforted? He couldn't even comfort himself.

"...I hope that oath is worth my life," she whispered unexpectedly, skin glazed with tears.

_Her life, _Squall repeated within,_ she would never be able to smile again, never be able to live, and all for the sake of an oath._ A knot of pain developed at his throat. _Am I really that selfish? Am I doing the right thing? I…I would never get to see her smile again._

"Please Rinoa, don't make this harder than it already is," he muttered, unbeknownst to him, warm tears had been gathering at his eyes all along. Rinoa balled her hands into fists and slammed them against his chest, unable to contain her whimpering any longer.

She looked down at the pendant upon his chest and then lifted her eyes to him. It broke his heart to see her this way. Seeing her, hearing that distress in her crying, he couldn't bare it anymore.

"Just tell me where you are right now," Squall whispered, taking one step closer to her, bringing his gloved hands to her face once more and thumbing her chin softly. _Please stop crying. _Inching his face closer to hers, he stared down into her shimmering eyes, not knowing that his were doing the same.

"So you can come kill me, right?" Rinoa cried softly, continuing in their heated stare, her face twisted with anguish. "…You told me to trust you before," she murmured with sniffling, her voice barely audible, overshadowed by hurt. "You can't _try_ to trust someone, Squall, you either do or you don't. …And like an idiot, I have never stopped trusting you since that day."

"Rinoa…," he mouthed as one lonely tear slid down his right cheek.

"Watching your past…seeing where you are now because of it… Oath or not, I still care about you, but…you, you're just like one of those robots that attacked me, Squall. How do I know if you have any remorse about this, about me at all? How do I know you really don't hate me? How can I trust your tears? …I feel…so stupid," the sadness in her voice had overwhelmed him so much that he closed his eyes and pushed his firm, and surprisingly, warm lips into hers without hesitation, giving Rinoa no other choice but to reciprocate tenderly, closing her eyes as well. Their breaths were as deep as their kisses. He was amazed by the softness of her lips, amazed at being able to feel them at all. He couldn't help himself from capturing her lips with his mouth again. Kissing her would not undo the hurt he had caused her, but he had hoped to gain her understanding and her forgiveness.

Gently, he placed one more kiss upon her lips before pulling away from her trembling lips. Squall opened his eyes to find hers closed with tear drenched cheeks. He wiped her face soothingly and rested his forehead against hers while breathing softly. He would speak to her in a whisper, intimately, "…I never allowed myself to see you as you are because I knew what I had to do from the beginning. Even at Obel Lake, I knew there was something different about you. Ever since the first time I looked into your eyes Rinoa, it's been a struggle for me," he paused, taking a deeper breath as his confession continued, "Yes, out there, I am double minded at times. I'm at war with myself because of you. I tried to deny my thoughts, tried to focus on the fact that you're a sorceress only, but to no avail. The truth is, regardless of my feelings for you," Squall pulled away from her, but remained close. "I'll have to end your life, and _I'll have to be_ the one to end your life…because of my oath. I wish I could explain more, but that's all I can say."

He caressed her face, "Now do you understand why it's easier this way, if you hate me?"

"Squall…," she opened her eyes and brought her fingers to his face, touching the remnants of his dried tears. The girl then hid her face away from his and rested it against his shoulder, lowering her hand and grabbing that same shoulder. She found comfort there regardless of their circumstances. Squall was forced to reposition his hands, and they fell upon her natural waistline, pulling her in closer and tightly. Together they hoped to savor the moment for as long as possible. Rinoa finally worked up the nerve to speak again.

"Yeah, I understand," the girl sighed and continued, "…But just like you said, Squall…I can't hate you either, no matter what you tell me, no matter what Griever tells me about you. I just can't." She moved her head back to see his face again, to see his childlike eyes. "And I also can't live a lie. Fool yourself all you want, it doesn't make _anything_ easier."

"That's why," Rinoa took a deep breath. This time when she searched his eyes, she found peace. Unfortunately, she would have to trouble that newly gained peace in order to get through to him. "That's why…I've decided that because of your oath, I won't complicate anything for you. If I remain attached to you-that would be unfair to _you_, right? That's what you're basically saying to me."

"That's…" _That's not what I meant…_

"He was right," she smiled briefly, albeit about nothing funny. "Griever really _is_ my _only_ ally."

"Griever," he muttered while looking away from her face, remembering that without the presence of his mind and spirit, Griever had complete control of his body. The boy continued to cup her natural waistline. His attention was brought back to her eyes, sternly, as he squeezed her body more. "I need to know where you are right now, Rinoa…" Squall spoke quickly, as if having a bad feeling suddenly descend upon him. "Please tell me."

"Don't you already know?" she whispered at first. "I don't care if you're coming to kill me Squall, but I refuse…" Finally Rinoa ended her remaining tears for good. "I refuse to let you kill me! …If you're gonna allow an oath to come before your feelings for and _between_ _us- _then you're no friend of mine. …So I'll go on to Centra like you said before. I don't care if it's a trap!—"

"What?" He was confused by her words.

She took a step backward out of his embrace, out of his reach. "This is goodbye, Squall."

"Wait, Rinoa!"

Before he could pursue her further, his soul and body had been returned to Trabia, to the house that Rinoa had been staying in to be exact. It was quiet outside, a snowy utopia for someone who loved silence. Ironically, silence had been his greatest weapon against her. The boy stared down at his gloved hands, and then at his body, the cursed body, and once again, there was no strong beating of his heart. Squall looked down at the snow first, before placing a hand upon his waist. How had she returned him there? Griever grumbled within him suddenly.

"_**Something is different, altered."**_

"…_Is that why I'm here now?" _the brunet folded his arms. _"…I thought I had been put away forever."_

"_**Obviously she hasn't entirely comprehended the full extent of control for her power. My guess is that Rinoa exhausted herself during the attack last night and is resting somewhere, unconscious even."**_

_Unconscious…? I highly doubt that, _Squall thought to himself, before redirecting his inner voice to Griever once again. _"I need to know something," _the boy began to walk toward the house, to take a look inside. _"…Why didn't you help her sooner?"_

"_**I can only move when Rinoa summons me, as I am her guardian force. Because we are connected, you share my duties to her. That is why I said it is futile to follow your own agenda. In the end, you are as much of her servant as I am." **_

The teenager became silent and continued to investigate the abandoned home.

Only a few things stood out to him. He took notice of the broken bathroom mirror, and was surprised to find the same bedroom where he had recently spoken with Rinoa, although there was no notebook to be found lying about. There was nothing else particularly interesting inside. In the cabin's backyard; however, he came across a workshop area that had been used recently. It seemed to be fashioned exactly as the one from his past. At this, Squall took a deep breath. It reminded him of Adel all over again, fashioned in her tastes and manner of organization.

"…_Looks like I can use this place to make some adjustments to my weapon for the time being."_ It would be better to prepare thoroughly before following her to Centra, who knew what dangers existed there.

"_**You should get rid of that sword…" **_Griever said while thinking of the betrayal sword Squall had obtained. _**"I believe it has bewitched you."**_

Squall didn't know why, but he smirked at Griever's words. The beast couldn't have found a better way of describing what had happened between him and Rinoa. Maybe he was under her spell all along? And if that were true, Squall felt indifferent about it. The grin was now gone, but the thought remained.

"_Rinoa is heading to Centra. Did you know about that?"_

"…_**No, I haven't heard; however, I have suspected that another force has been at work all along while the two of you kept to your own business. If she really is headed for Centra…there is only one thing of importance there."**_

"…_And that would be…?"_

"…_**The crystal pillar."**_

Squall paused for a moment. _"I have no idea what that is, but I'm more concerned about the third party you just mentioned. We should follow her there."_

"_**I am certain it will be revealed. We will know soon enough."**_Griever answered, and then said nothing more. Squall took it as the end of their brief conversation.

He immediately got to work on his new gunblade. By the time he finished his new concoction, he was on his way again. He started by walking the path Rinoa had most likely taken before disappearing out of their sight. Her essence remained in the air, lingering as if wanting to be found. Because of the amount of magic that had been used, it was no surprise to him that her aura would remain there. Even without the presence of her aura, there was still that gigantic crater now engrafted upon the land. He stared upon it momentarily, stopping and then closing his eyes.

_Rinoa…_ He tried again, having been calling her name all along, quietly and secretly. Strangely enough, it seemed as though Rinoa was now ignoring him. _Rinoa, please…listen to me. I didn't tell you to go Centra. Something is leading you there falsely. Rinoa!_

She was right. It really did hurt to be ignored.

There was no response or connection. He could no longer direct his thoughts to her. Unfortunately, she meant her words to him, and would probably never look back as her stated vow. It was a pity too, because he wanted to clarify the matter of her having been told to visit Centra on his account. It seemed as though something would be happening there soon and she would be in need of her guardian. Who was he to stand in their way, either of them? He was nothing more than a fool.

In a matter of seconds, Squall's body faded away and the great lion appeared in the sky, stretching forth the length of its pallid wings and capturing the current tide of wind. Griever made its way to Centra and was now one step closer to conquering his main objective.

Below, a woman and her companion caught sight of the young man who had been walking alone ahead of them. Whether or not he noticed the two remained a mystery to them; however, the woman was able to read his current thoughts as he called out to his companion via thoughts. She stopped and listened carefully to the angst of his inner voice.

After a moment or two, he had finally given up and disappeared before their eyes, and then a monster emerged above, soaring into the air.

"So that's it!" Raijin exclaimed excitedly. "I knew there was more to that kid than meets the eye!"

Rather than becoming excited about the discovery of the source of power from their major opponent, Fujin focused solely on the information she had just received.

_Centra…? _Fujin thought as she watched the beast heading south and disappearing behind the clouds. She looked over at Raijin as he shook his head. _Is that where you're headed?_

"What's there to do in Centra anyway," her counterpart muttered, obviously having heard the boy's voice as well. "I've heard that's like the most boring place ever, you know?"

"…Not after we get there," she smiled at him. Her wounds were close to healed. In another hour or so, she would be completely back to normal and ready for action. It was one thing having found a real person to fight who hadn't disintegrated upon the first touch, as had their past training partners of the lab, but it was also nice to be free again. Maybe they would run into their old comrades? Her recent memories might have been the only part of her brain that hadn't been altered, so to speak. She wondered if Raijin remembered much of his past life, as he rarely commented about it at all.

"I know all too well, Fujin," he grinned. "Inform ol' doc so we can be on our way soon, will you?"

"Of course," she said, removing a small, titanium hand device and lifting it to her face. Fujin lifted the patch from her left eye and aligned the device with it, where a blue light emerged and scanned her silver pupil for information.

The information pertained to all of the events leading up to now, as far as showcasing the teenager's strength, the extent of his thoughts about the mysterious girl, witnessing a thunderous explosion from afar and seeing the remnants of that explosion in which only a large crater in the ground could show for it, and then now, with the reappearance of the young man from Esthar and now in Trabia and how he had transformed into a flying beast, everything that she had witnessed thus far.

After a few moments, the device beeped as if having completed its task. She lowered it from her face, fixing the patch into its respectful place over her eye as well. Within the passing moments, another beep sounded and Fujin examined the screen of the small communicator.

She took a second to read from it and then looked at Raijin while putting it away and back into her pants pocket. There was a groan at first before she cleared her throat. "Looks like we can't wreak havoc on our own," now he understood why she sighed, and he frowned agitatedly. "Odine wants to send in reinforcements, an entire fleet of them, to Centra as we speak. We're to rendezvous with them at the plains of Esthar and lead them into battle. He wants the sorceress and the boy captured immediately."

"Way back there?" he complained, throwing a tantrum like a two year old, more concerned about the length of the walk than about their objectives.

"Don't make me kick you again," she threatened him, pointing down at her leg causing him to end his tantrum immediately. Fujin then placed a hand on her hip and shrugged her shoulders. "Well, it's nice to get a lift, I guess. Either way, we'll be farther away from Esthar."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Raijin looked back at her. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to cut ties with the doc altogether."

"…" Fujin looked at the ground and then lifted her face to his. "…Let's go."

"Roger," he smirked and followed her lead.

* * *

_Author's Corner:_

* * *

_Hey again,_

_I told you the other part of my genre would kick in soon. It's a bit twisted, bittersweet in a sense, but it's progress and that's all I'm gonna say about that. For the moment, I'm having serious troubles with my computer, but the next chapter is sixty percent complete. I'm writing the next set altogether though. Hopefully, by the time I've begun to post them, you all will be ready for them. So anyway, thanks for reading, reviewing, and favorite-ing this story! It means a lot to me. Take care everyone and I'll see you soon!_

_Ray_


	19. Centra

**_The city of countless tears, endless cries, and infinite fears._**

**_19_**

**_ Centra_**

_Ever since the first time I looked into your eyes Rinoa, it's been a struggle for me…I'm at war with myself because of you. I tried to deny my thoughts, tried to focus on the fact that you're a sorceress only, but to no avail. The truth is, regardless of my feelings for you, I'll have to end your life, and I'll have to be the one to end your life because it's my oath…Now do you understand why it's easier this way, if you hate me?"_

His words were fresh on her mind, as if it had just happened. In truth, the vision had indeed only occurred a few moments ago when she was carried away into a thick light that refused to disperse.

Briefly she recalled the moment his lips caressed hers, feeling the heat exchanged between them. Why was it that she along with Squall felt more alive in their visions than in reality? Had everything been backwards? How long would they continue to exist in such a reversed, toxic world?

Then Rinoa realized she was being held against her will inside a dark space. Only recent memories could keep her company within that dark abyss. Vaguely, the moments of the night before returned in fleeting embers of visions.

The mechanical soldiers aiming for her blood lunged forward with weapons in hand. A bright light had engulfed her, so much that it whisked her away accompanied by a child's voice. And the memory ended there. Who knew if they were actually successful? Maybe she was dead. Was it supposed to be so bright and quiet in death? Was it supposed to sound so hollow?

"_...I see your eyes fluttering a bit. I'd try to wake you up, miss, but you might slap me again," _his voice was familiar, the boy's voice she had heard in the forest just earlier. Who knew how long it had been since she was asleep, if even she was ever asleep at all.

"Where am I?"

"_You're in a safe place, but…uh, wouldn't open my eyes if you're afraid of heights," _the preadolescent giggled.

Finally Rinoa peeled her eyes opened and found a sky burdened with massive rainclouds, ranging from gray to black. Staring at the cloud's faces, the girl began to feel miniature, almost nonexistent. Never had she felt so insignificant as she did in this particular moment. Rinoa began to feel as though she were floating on air, a most unfamiliar sensation. The rush sent a chill down her spine. But why was she here in the first place and how had she gotten here? The brunette had then begun to examine her surroundings slowly, hoping for some clue. Suddenly in the sky she saw a great beacon of light shining brilliantly from afar, it was impossible to know what it was from this distance. The girl sat up quickly with a sharp headache pounding above her left temple, oddly having initiated once her eyes focused upon the object. She held her head, grimacing at the sudden pain and trying to soothe it away.

Her eyes left the great light and fell down lower, where she realized there was a radius of dying land encircling the beacon. The dying area stretched seemingly miles away from the pillar where a vast city began, and was quite possibly where she was located at the moment. There were buildings much taller than those in Deling City, taller than the likes Rinoa had ever seen though nothing compared to the large skyscraper-like beacon at the center of the plane. Nothing would dare to challenge this shiny pillar's maker. She instantly wondered who could ever make such a magnificent structure and how had it been done; however, it seemed to be dimming down the longer Rinoa stared at it, though it could have meant that her eyes were becoming accustomed to its radiance.

"Scary, isn't it?" The boy asked, capturing her attention. His voice came from above her, and when Rinoa looked up, she saw that he was seated on a makeshift seat between the building's crevices. He sat facing the side, eyes focusing nowhere near the great pillar. Then her mind quickly considered his remark. How could he find something so mesmerizing, scary?

"…No, I think it's beautiful," she responded quietly, and then took a moment to stare at him.

His eyes were wide and green, and his hair was honey colored. She noted that his cheeks were rosy and very adorable. He seemed to be aware of his cute looks as he motioned his eyes toward her and then winked at her. The girl was taken aback by this motion and shook her head at him with a soft sigh.

Rinoa realized she had been wrapped in a brown cloak once she tried to sit up properly. The moment she began to unwrap the cloth from about her being, an abrasive wind blew against her as if forbidding her to do so. She clenched onto the cloak and rewrapped it about her to fend off the chill. It was probably colder here than being in Trabia. _Trabia…? _She looked down suddenly into her lap and shifted her eyes to her immediate surroundings finding them residing at the top of a very gigantic structure. Rinoa focused her energy to her legs and began to rise from the floor. She pushed her body to the ledge of the building and overlooked its ledge.

"Whoa!" They were very high up, so high that her vision blurred and she immediately felt dizzy. The boy darted out after her and yanked on her cloak to pull her backward away from the ledge. It was quite possible that she could have tumbled over and fell from that great height.

"I told you not to open your eyes too soon," he pulled her back to a safe distance and put his back to face the pillar.

"How did we get up here?" she asked curiously.

"I wouldn't worry about that for now," he sat down on the cold floor and folded his arm. Rinoa copied him, trying to relax momentarily. It was then that she wondered where they were. "…You asked me to take you here, so I did," he answered suddenly, as if having read her mind. "Oh…" he looked at her, "I'm Irvine by the way. Irvine Kinneas!" He had turned to her with a cheesy grin.

"Rinoa," she answered, not really understanding what was going on much. "…I'm sorry, but…I don't remember much before waking up."

"I can fill you in," he shrugged his shoulders, "…You were in Trabia and going up against those robotic soldiers, and that's when I saw you," he brought his hand to his hair, scratching his head a bit. "You asked me for my help and that's when I killed them all!" The boy immediately jumped up on his feet.

Rinoa grinned. She hadn't lost quite all of her memory of that night. She knew things had gone differently, quite differently than according to his account. "You took them all on?"

"Every last one!" Irvine faced her, giving his chest a thump. "You told me you'd give me a big fat kiss if I did it, and I did! So where's my kiss?"

The girl immediately sighed and rolled her eyes, "Sorry, but that's not gonna happen."

He feigned sadness, lowering his head and falling back on his bottom with a sigh. "…It figures."

"Thanks for rescuing me, though. If there's any way I can repay you, without kissing you, I'd be happy to do that."

He looked at her, eyeing her suspiciously, and then shook his head. "No…"

Rinoa immediately felt violated, and scooted over from him.

"Thus, it is my curse to be alone," he sighed and held his hands up in the air, then fell back against the concrete. She wondered if the fall hurt his head, but the boy seemed to be fine. It seemed a bit unorthodox, but her life had begun to revolve increasingly around things that made no sense whatsoever. There was a supernatural aura about this boy, and she knew he had to have something to do with her escape.

"Irvine," she cleared her throat. "Can you tell me where we are? How we got here?"

"…." He closed his eyes and clasped his hands below his head to create a bed for it.

"Irvine," Rinoa pleaded.

"I don't know," he muttered, allowing the soft breeze to capture him. Rinoa was confused, and brought her eyes to their surroundings. The land outside of the city was flourishing with green. There was nothing but green as far as the eyes could see, up until her eyes reached the city again. What city was it? "…It's Centra," he answered her softly, as if hearing the thoughts on her mind.

"Centra?!"

"Yep," he said, his arms still dangling in the air. "…Right there in its center is the crystal pillar."

Rinoa reared her head to see the great pillar of light. She wondered why there seemed to be a feeling drawing her near, yearning for her being. She wanted to be close to it for some reason, but why? What exactly would it do?

"…Centra is a sacred place. Not many people have been allowed into this city. Not many people can even approach that pillar. Actually, no one is prohibited to approach it."

"What exactly is it?"

"…I don't really know," his eyes staring at the opposite scene; lands that had been ravished with famine, all except this particular area of Centra. "That huge crystal's been there since before the city…It's the only place on this continent that is considered vegetative, and people say it's because the pillar protects this place," the boy paused momentarily. "Must be some kind of holy artifact..."

"A holy artifact…? But wait," Rinoa returned her eyes to the fields and saw the once green land turning into the dried up and dying plane like the one surrounding the city. "…Why is the green disappearing?"

"If one stares at the pillar for too long, it creates an illusion of what the world looks like through its eyes. That's why you saw green. The truth is, that may have been what this land looked like before that pillar was formed. Regardless," he frowned. "I don't care what it is and I won't go near it."

_I guess that's why he would think of it as 'scary.' _Rinoa mused to herself. He seemed to be very familiar with the history of this land. "Um," she cleared her throat. "…Irvine?"

"Yeah?"

"…You seem to know a lot about this place."

He sighed dramatically, "If your next question is 'why do you know so much about it,' please drop it. I don't feel like going into detail."

"…Actually," Rinoa straightened her shoulders. "I was wondering how we managed to get inside since you said no outsiders are allowed in."

"I have my ways…" he sat up quickly, having no problem lifting his body back up into a sitting up position. "I'm pretty amazing, you know. Probably the most amazing person you'll ever meet."

"Well," she smiled childishly, "I wouldn't say you're the most amazing person, but you are rather interesting; in fact, I'd think you were pretty amazing if you could maybe give me a little more history about this city."

"…Interesting? How interesting? And what's in it for me if I were to tell you more about Centra?"

"I could….give you a nice reward, something you'll like, and," her grin continued.

"And…?" he edged her onward.

"And, I'll give you something really good if you take me there," she faced the pillar entirely while playing his little game. "Just a little closer…"

"Something like what?" His eyes widened, thinking of kisses galore.

"It's a surprise, a really good one!" She grinned, holding up her hand and swearing over her heart. "I promise!"

"…It better not be some stinkin' geezard screws. I find those all the time," he complained, folding his arms and looking away from her.

"No," the girl shrugged her shoulders. "But if you wanna suggest something, go right ahead. No kisses, though."

He heaved an annoyed sigh, "Then I don't want anything."

"Irvine, please…?"

"…" The boy closed his eyes and motioned his head away from her, turning his back on her as he sat beside her. Rinoa looked at him angrily at first and then grumbled a bit. She looked at his cheek and slapped her forehead, cursing herself for what she was about to do.

The girl took a deep breath and planted a kiss on his cheek.

He immediately fell backward and hit the cold pavement dead on. Rinoa covered her mouth with shock. "Are you okay?"

There was a tiny grin stretching upon his lips now. At the sight of the grin, Rinoa immediately abandoned all her concern for him.

"I'm in heaven," he laughed and then sat up again, rising to his feet. Rinoa wanted to scratch him to death for scaring her so badly. The little boy walked into his cove between the building crevices and returned wearing a green shirt over brown pants, and had gripped a brown toy shotgun. It seemed awfully big to be considered a toy, but Rinoa would guess that it was one for now. She saw him strapping a carry bag on his arms, and allowed it to hang from his back. It was familiarly green with small ruby crystals decorating it. The brunette wondered where she had seen the design before, or maybe it was just the coloring pattern that made it so familiar to her.

Irvine held up his gun and loaded it to the max.

"Is that thing real?"

"…" he looked at her, lowering it a bit. "…Is that a real bracelet?" he pointed to the red wrist contraption on her arm. Rinoa immediately realized the blade was missing.

"My cardinal!" She explained, looking about frantically, but he undid his backpack strap, and opened the bag. He removed the slender blade from his bag and paced toward her. Rinoa graciously accepted it. "Thanks!"

"Yeah, yeah. So like," he shrugged his shoulders. "It snapped off when everything happened in Trabia. I thought I broke it."

Rinoa grinned, snapping it back in place and slid the blades beneath one another, folding it out of her way. "No…it's…it's a weapon, and it's supposed to come off that way."

"Oh!"

"Back to my question though…"

"Relax, it's just a toy," he chuckled.

"Irvine," Rinoa remembered being back in Trabia, in the snowy forest and having run into the snow lion there. She remembered the boy being there, in the tree no doubt. "…What were you doing in Trabia? Really…"

"…Look, miss," he said. "I don't like to talk much about all that. You asked me to take you closer to that dreadful pillar, and that's what I'll do…"

"Irvine…"

"…I," he took a deep breath and shrugged his shoulders. "We should get started. This city isn't exactly kind to strangers. It takes a while to reach that part of town, you know? And the closer you get to the pillar's grounds, the weirder the people become."

"…Really?"

Irvine wiped his eyes and looked upon the crystal pillar. "Their descendants were among the first to rebel against Hyne…Hyne, the original being. Not the sorceress who was born of him. He took away their livelihood and turned them into sub-humans called Shumi. Now, their destiny is to remain here and serve the last remaining artifact, or symbol, of Hyne's time. Over the years though, it seems that more Shumi have learned to live out the desires of their hearts, but it comes at a price. If you come across mutated Shumi or even some beast breed with wild orange fur, those are called Moombas."

"You can relax though," he picked up his backpack from the ground. "Centra is now pretty diverse, but humans still have a strong presence here, regardless of its past. You're free to chicken out now."

"No," Rinoa shook her head adamantly.

He waved his hand in the air, "I kinda hoped you would…. If the walk getting there doesn't scare you, maybe the guards will?"

"Guards?"

"…Well, there's no reason for us to stick around on these rooftops. Like in Trabia, the guards here seemed to be soulless. They stand hours and hours with no sleep or food. They'll kill anyone who approaches the pillar. There's a blockade at the center's edge. Not to mention, the people's attitudes here are so snobby, they'll ignore any of your pleads for help if you are captured by the guards. But…I'm sure if it comes to it, they won't be much of a problem for you."

"Why do you say that?"

He slapped his shotgun on his shoulder with a laugh, "Let's just say I saw your fight. You handled yourself pretty well."

Rinoa had to laugh. A child was critiquing the way she fought.

"Don't let my age fool you, I know a trick or two in battle," the young charmer said, taking a bow, "Ma'am," he said, "If you will allow me to be your escort?"

"Thank you kindly," she answered and watched as he rose to his usual stance. There was something highly unusual about this boy, but even so, he seemed to be a good person. Still, Rinoa was careful to not forget about the fate of that snow lion the day in the forest. What exactly had he done to it? More importantly, what had happened after her battle in Trabia?

Regardless of what had happened, she would keep her word to Squall, she would not allow him to kill her. She would get to understand Centra and learn more about the radiating crystal pillar that was calling out to her. It seemed that even Griever had chosen to remain silent about her endeavors as of now. She figured he was allowing her to get used to the idea of fighting her own fights, as those before her had learned to do. Strangely, it was nice to have her personal thoughts and privacy for the time being.

* * *

Challenging the wind, they had climbed down a ladder case along the side of the building. When reaching the very bottom, Rinoa pulled the hood of her cloak to cover her face and followed after the little boy as he began to run north toward the pillar's fading radiance. People busied along their way seeming to ignore the travelers' existences.

The pathway to the pillar became long and confusing, paved with tall skyscrapers etched upon a canvas of hazy clouds. There was something sad and oozing from among the clouds, possibly tears of rain drizzling ever so faintly as the two progressed closer to the landmark.

Along their walking, Rinoa mused herself as to why Irvine would never let on about how he had become wise beyond his time. It was an uncanny resemblance to her brief encounter with the little girl in the forest of Timber, how she had been alone and yet content, unafraid. What was it about these two children? Were they somehow linked?

"…Irvine, do you have anyone…like, family?" She asked quietly, her soft voice emerging the fabrics of the cloak encasing her face. They saw less people now the later in the day it got and the closer they came within the inner areas of Centra.

"…No," he answered, stomping the concrete with his brown walking boots. Rinoa allowed some time for a break between their words, hoping that he would contribute more, but he remained quiet. She was disheartened if only for a moment. Irvine had then given in, "It's not something I'm really open for sharing…"

"…Why would a kid not like talking about family?"

"If he doesn't have any, that's why."

She lowered her eyes to the ground, the dying plains were getting closer. "…That's more common than you think," she whispered and lifted her eyes to the crystal pillar. "You seem so cheerful. I just figured you have someone in your heart you care about."

"It's complicated."

Rinoa laughed a bit, holding her stomach and was given a glare by Irvine.

"What's so funny?" He asked, agitated.

"…No, it's not you. I'm sorry. You remind me of someone I know."

"…Better not be a girl…"

She shook her head with a grin. "Irvine, don't be so mad. I'm not poking fun at you. It's just…" she sighed. "…I'm a little tired of people keeping secrets from me. I'm so tired that it's actually starting to become quite humorous. For the record, it's not a girl…well not entirely. You remind me of two people, one more than the other right now."

"Oh?"

"…You remind me of a guy who's actually very different than you."

"Different than me how…? In a good way, I hope…"

"Well," she cleared her throat. "It's good in the sense that you smile often. Actually, it's quite good that you have no problem smiling a lot."

"Hmph," Irvine shrugged. "And if you had to choose?"

"Sorry," Rinoa folded her arms. "I don't choose between friends."

Irvine sighed in defeat at first. "Wait, I guess that means I still have a chance," he muttered with a wide grin. Rinoa slapped her forehead. He looked at her and erased his grin, "I'm only kidding, you know?"

"Right," she nodded and lowered her hand, unconvinced. "We should keep going…"

"What, you don't believe me?" he lifted his hands as the brunette pressed forward, briskly. "It's true! I just act like that because it annoys you, and if it annoys you that means you like me."

"On whose logic did you base this?"

"Mine!" he laughed. "It works!"

"Irvine.."

"No! If you didn't care about a word I have to say, you wouldn't get annoyed, but because you are getting annoyed, you actually care about me! If you really didn't care, then you wouldn't even be concerned."

"That's not entirely true," she frowned. "I asked for your help in getting here."

"Yeah, but you trust me enough to let me guide you!"

"I didn't have a choice! Besides I don't even know you. You can't care for someone in that way and barely know them."

"Doesn't matter! The point is, you trust me enough to let me take you as close to the pillar as possible and you don't even know me," He stopped in his tracks, facing her with a sinister glare. "I didn't think you were so naïve, sorceress!"

"What?!"Rinoa faced him.

Immediately the glare had diminished and the little boy scratched the back of his neck. "Surprised? I mean, it's not like I'm scared of you or anything… I…just can't talk about certain things with you."

Rinoa took a deep breath. It wasn't like he was an ordinary preteen, she knew this from the beginning. The trouble was pinpointing who he was exactly, and if he would allow her to know. Was he trustworthy?

"You don't have to worry. I only fight under extreme circumstances, and I don't intend to make you my target. You asked me to get you as close to the pillar as possible, and I didn't lie about not liking it very much, but I am taking you as close as I physically am allowed to. If you can't trust anything else about me, you can trust me on that, miss."

"…I," she was speechless.

"…The crystal pillar is a holy artifact. It's sacred and ancient. Because Centra is so particular about who gets let inside, I think this might be the safest place for you to stay. Just like it protects this land, it will protect you. So, don't be afraid of getting closer on your own."

"…How did you become this way?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "…It seems like a long time ago, and it probably has been."

They continued walking for a long while.

"This is the longest I've ever been me," he whispered finally. "…Rinoa," Irvine looked up at her. "I can't step out of my bounds right now, but I swear I'll explain it to you as best as I can when the time comes. …Once we reach our destination, there might not be any time to explain things in detail. The closer we get to the pillar, the more even _I_ can sense and feel its gravitational pull… The pillar is all you need to be concerned with. It will be safe for you to approach. No matter what happens, just run toward it."

As they reached their destination, the boy grinned and looked away. Upon the center of Centra where the lofty pillar stood tall, Rinoa quickly realized how incredibly far away the pillar had been. There was a vast plain stretching forth to and around it, as if protecting it from the city elements surrounding it. The sky was now thick with black clouds and the wind blustered through the streets of Centra, sending her cloak billowing in its gusts. Rinoa grabbed a hold to the edge of her hood and covered her face while looking down at Irvine was gathering his words carefully.

"Well, this is where we'll part ways for now," He said in a small voice.

"What?" Rinoa exclaimed disappointedly.

"Are you going to miss me?" He asked, with the same cheesy grin.

"Where are you going?"

"…Rinoa, there's something headed this way, and it's not just that person you're meeting with," he lowered his eyes to the ground. "…I wish I didn't have to go either, but I have to obey my master."

"Your master?"

"…I really do like you," when he lifted his eyes, Rinoa saw them welding up with tears. "…I had to make sure you were safe in Trabia for a long time. I had to protect you! And now…this is the end of the line for me. I can't tell you what happens now." Irvine cleared his throat and took a step backward.

"…Irvine," Rinoa was at a loss for words. "…Did I really ask you to bring me here? Somehow I don't remember asking you that at all."

"…You didn't," he admitted. "…Now, I have to go."

Before she could get another word out of him, Irvine vanished before her very eyes. Now everything happening up to this moment was questionable. …Why would Squall want her to be here? She could remember in his past that even _he_ disregarded the legends of Hyne in his youth, and maybe so now. He would have no reason to tell her to meet him in Centra. Also, he seemed to persistently ask where she was. Shouldn't he have already known?

Rinoa remembered the look of bewilderment upon his face as she confessed her plans. She wondered if Squall really knew what was happening. Even more so, Griever was nowhere to be found.

_Griever_…

With Irvine's vanishing, the clouds eventually released a great downpour and Rinoa was forced to seek shelter as it grew impossible. Just as Rinoa had observed, the rain fell down upon the city. There was a thick and heavy, hazy sheen of rainfall upon the pearl studded city of Centra. If the sun were still out, she was sure that everything would have sparkled beneath it. There were two patrol men, tall men of close to seven feet tall, standing guard at the city's foot of the pillar plains. Rinoa was all but relieved to see them standing there. Their image was majestic, standing some seven to eight feet tall with long white gowns that swept the grounds of the wet streets. Their hands gripped the necks of their fighting staffs made of solid gold. Upon their white cloaks were lightning bolts embroidered into the garments all over. They were masked in pearl facial gear that seemed to fit snuggly upon their faces like gas masks, hiding all hints of humanity. Rinoa wondered why they needed to wear those masks.

It was no question in her mind that if were to walk into the plains, she would indeed need to face them.

However, now was not the time to stand up to them, the rain grew ever stronger. She dashed into the city under the sheen of hazy rain before any of the guards took notice of her. Like a ghost she disappeared behind the rainfall, cloak hidden by the mist. The girl was light footed, maneuvering down the street still in sights with the pillar plains.

The city was built around it, literally, but there was a great walking distance between she and the pillar. The area was covered by the centran guards. Like Irvine said, people were a scarce sight the closer they had gotten to the plains. Either they were scarce or not exactly normal. Those that she had spotted cleared out from the streets as the rain worsened. Rinoa was left no choice but to do the same, finding shelter inside a local pub.

She ran inside as a the door slid open for her.

Rinoa entered and stopped to stamp her feet on the welcome mat upon the floor which read _Vascaroon de Olde_. Her boots muffled and squished against the soaked rug. With the patron closing the door behind her, all sounds of the rain had been muted out. All that was left was the now muffling sounds of thunder as the rain poured on.

Rinoa hesitated removing her hood, still remembering Irvine's words. She lifted her eyes from the floor realizing there was no one there pressuring her to remove it either. This, alone, cause a smile to appear on her face. The atmosphere was warm and gentle, and very intimate. From a basic observation of Centra's buildings, infrastructure, to even the sliding door, Rinoa concluded that this city was advanced. Maybe this particular bar had been fashioned this way on purpose, coming across as a sort of tavern than a pub, a tribute to the old legends. Evidently, it was the first real bar she had ever gone inside because she was too young to do so in Dollet, and her father would never allow her to be in a place such as this. She shrugged her should and stepped into the room taking the two steps down where others gathered at their designated tables and such.

Men were standing around holding their mugs of beer and ale, and chortling, some stood around singing age old hymns, the likes of which Rinoa had never heard before. She looked around a bit, at the lively and yet dimly illuminated room, taking it all in. The candlelight was perfect. It suited the mahogany and cherry wooden tables and chairs well. She saw green plants, both fake and authentic scattered about the somewhat spacious facility. There were booths and tables lined up on the wall for those who wanted to sit and watch the festivities or have private parties for a small group of four at the most. There were some women and men serving drinks in flattering attires, all in costume, Rinoa noted. It seemed like a live fantasy novel before her eyes. The atmosphere was as welcoming and exciting as it was intimidating. She had just wanted to stay out of the rain for a little while, not have a seat; however, she looked to fit the criteria of a role player.

The girl looked about the room while walking toward the bar counter. She took her eyes away from the path for a split second and bumped into a short person. She brought her eyes down and saw a dully colored creature with beady pupils looking up at her with frightened eyes.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" the girl apologized, a man nearby caught on to her voice and laughed, tapping her shoulder as his chuckles intensified. He wiped the beer from his face and mustache, which she had most likely been the remnant spills after having witnessed her apology to the sub-human in the room. "Why are you apologizing to a Shumi?! Had one drink too many, lass?"

"Wh-what?" The girl fumbled.

"Don't you know they're next to worthless?" He laughed again, sending his group of friends howling in laughter.

Rinoa's eyebrows slanted angrily. "I bumped into him, and so I apologized. It was _my_ fault. No one is worthless!"

"Ooooh," the others standing behind him quieted down. "I think we have a feisty one here," they all murmured.

"By the way, you look cute when you're angry," he winked at her but Rinoa rolled her eyes. "Nasty attitude, I like it."

The girl shook her head and looked down at the Shumi with a frown. "I'm sorry. I'll watch where I'm going next time," she smiled cordially and attempted to walk away, but was jerked back by a rough hand around her wrist by the tall, roughneck of a man. He yanked her back quickly.

"Don't you turn your back on me, young lady! Clearly you don't know who I am. You better mind your manners and show me some respect!"

Rinoa pulled her arm out of his grip and pushed him away. "I don't care who you are, keep your hands off me!"

"Obviously you're not from around here. I think I might need to give you a little lesson about this place we call Centra…"

Before Rinoa was introduced to a long and uninteresting story of this brute's history, she felt a respectful hand falling upon her shoulder. The girl was pulled to the side, hip to hip with a man possessing a familiar physique.

"Thanks for waiting up for me sweetheart," his recognizable voice whispered to her first.

Rinoa was then led away from the taller man.

"Hey, hey you, what do you think you're doing?" The brute yelled aggressively, eyes showing telltale signs of stress. This scene was witnessed by all in the tavern. Everything had immediately gone quite as the drama unfolded.

"I don't appreciate the way you're talking to my friend," the man said. Rinoa couldn't see his face because of her hood, though she tried.

"Get back here," The taller man reached out again, running behind the pair. Before he could land a lick to either of them, the man escorting Rinoa pushed her toward the bar counter and turned about, then stooped down to pick the attacker up from the ground, lifting him and letting him fall to the floor. By this time, Rinoa was able to turned around and get a good look at her rescuer. She was surprised to find that it was the same man from Balamb who had been working alongside Quistis.

"Seifer..?" Rinoa said aloud, causing him to look back at her momentarily and smile, soft green eyes glowing a sudden crimson inside the dimly lit room. He faced his opponent and slung his trench coat to wrap about his body, but revealed his sheath gunblade allowing his attacker to see that he was indeed equipped and ready for combat.

"Hey, Piet!" The roughneck's friends called out to him. "We don't need to get into a brawl right now. The ceremony _is _today, after all."

"Yeah!" The others agreed. Piet stood to his feet slowly, pushing his body from the ground little by little. He held his back and breathed aloud.

"You're so out of shape," the blond retorted, resting his fingertips the gunblade's handle.

Piet fanned his friend's concerns away.

Seifer smirked. "I would listen to my friends if I were you. Save yourself the embarrassment," he said, prompting a hearty growl from the arrogant man.

"If I catch you in here again, you're dead."

"Making death threats in a holy city…? Now _that's _heresy."

"You better watch who you're talking to, I'm the law around here!"

Seifer shook his head. "Then I feel sorry for those who put their faith in you having with such weak morale," the blond turned away from him completely, and caught eyes with Rinoa's as he approached her. She was still worried and confused. What was he doing here?

"Well now, fancy meeting you here," he said casually, approaching the bar and waving down the bartender. Rinoa caught the next seat beside him, remaining quiet. She hadn't known what to expect. "I don't expect you to say much. A lot's happened, I know."

"…What are you doing here?" She asked him quietly.

"Wish I could say my stumbling here is merely coincidental, but that would be a complete fabrication. The truth is, I heard a little rumor about you," when the bartender approached he grinned, "Standard beer, tall glass, thanks." He received a nod from the bartender who went ahead to fix his drink. Seifer watched the bartender moving around a bit, gathering the glass and the bottle, opening and filling it to the top, then placed a napkin on the counter where he later set the mug down onto it. Seifer slid his money across the counter and thanked him, then brought the mug to his lips to take a sip at the fuzz. "Ah," he said, placing the large mug back onto the counter. "I can't believe this place is here... Horrible beer, though."

Rinoa shrugged her shoulders.

"What's the matter? Not a drinker?"

"…I'm not exactly legal," she looked away from him, hoping he didn't dive too deeply into her personal life.

"Oh well," he brought his eyes back to hers. His eyes were simply green, like the fields surrounding the city. They were soft and peaceful, though there was something different about them now, almost like a strange glow emitted at certain angles. She hadn't exactly had a long conversation with him before, but he seemed to have changed. "Guess that means I don't have to offer you a drink…"

"Thanks for the thought, but I'm not thirsty."

"After all that rainfall, I wouldn't really be thirsty either," he stared down into his glass. Seifer sighed. "It'll get crazy around here in a little while, you know…" The girl brought her eyes to his, allowing him to finish. "…As I was saying, though, the rumor insists that you would be here. So I decided to check this place out." He finally looked away from his beer and faced her. "…Rumors travel fast, Rinoa. On that note, have you got some sort of plan of escape?"

"What?" She asked curiously. He too had been hinting at the arrival of something greater.

"…You came all the way here…by your own knowledge?" He snickered a bit, "I'm sure something must be on your mind to possess you to make this kind of journey."

"I don't know what you're talking about," the girl blatantly lied. There was something about the way Squall had spoken to her that day. His voice in her mind, it had been so cryptic.

"…Forget about it," he shrugged. "So, how's your boyfriend? I don't see him around."

The girl grunted a bit, moving around uncomfortably.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing…" she wanted to comment about him not being so, but chose not to entertain the blond man's shenanigans.

"Well, I hope he didn't leave you here all alone. Not with Galbadia on its way here."

"Galbadia?!" she gasped.

"Not too loud…" he chuckled. "Seems like you didn't know... Turns out, they were after you all this time," he laughed. "And here I was thinking that I had accomplished something worthy of that kind of attention." He grabbed the mug by its handle. "…I could tell you to make sure you're prepared, but I've heard you have what it takes to handle yourself now. There's a huge crater back in Trabia, and as you could guess, I also heard that it was the sorceress' doing."

Rinoa's heart pounded.

"…The people found some scrap metal left there too, pieces of materials not used in the parts of the world where we're from. They said it might be the remnants of Esthar's latest toys called cyborgs…" He took a sip, drinking and pulling it away from his mouth with a bitter laugh. "Of course they're nothing but rubbish now," he said. "…We heard about it right after finding out that you were headed here. Then I came here to confirm the rumor…saw you running up the streets in the rain. I kinda figured you would draw closer to that tall pillar in the center of this city. There's something very peculiar about it, right?"

"What do you want…?" Rinoa swallowed her breath.

Seifer placed the beer mug back on the counter.

"Me? Personally, I don't want anything…" the sounds of people's voices behind them became louder and there was laughter. "…No, wait a minute, I'm lying. I really just want one thing."

"…One thing?"

"…That's right, I want one thing. Something you can't give me," he faced her with a grin. "I'd like to get that rematch."

"You're out of luck," Rinoa shook her head slowly. "I don't know where he is."

"Seems like you can lie for him well enough," he chuckled. "That's okay. See, I happen to know that when you're in danger, your guardian likes to appear wherever you are and anywhere you are." The girl prepared to stand, but he placed his hand atop hers. "And I also know that your friend is part of that guardian, too. That means wherever the guardian is, he's there also."

Rinoa moved his hand and stood from her seat preparing to leave the delusional, and yet well informed, man alone. Seifer's face went from smiling to disgust.

"I told him before and it still stands true," He gritted through bared teeth. "I haven't lost a single battle and that record remains unblemished. He cheated last time."

The girl looked away from him with a sigh. She knew that Squall would hate to be called a cheater. It wasn't like him to take advantage of his strength unless they were in a tough situation, like in the fight against Ifrit, and even so, he hadn't asked to for Griever's intrusion as it was her doing.

"This time when we fight, it will be an even score," Seifer said, facing her with eyes that glowed crimson red if only for a second.

"Seifer…?" She backed away from him slowly as he turned to face his beer, picking it up and drinking again. "What happened to you?"

He grinned and slammed the mug down, "Bitter stuff! But sometimes you have to sacrifice some things in order to become stronger…The only way to become stronger is to submit…" He looked at her once more, noticing that her eyes had widened at his words, and he smiled, "I'm sure when he realized the beauty of his strength, he didn't want to waste his time on small fry like me. I knew so little back then. I admit that. But he fought me with the power of Griever at his hands."

"In that case, you should be grateful to still be alive," Rinoa answered finally. "Squall was merciful. He could have easily killed you."

"Don't you think I know that?" Seifer laughed, abandoning his sudden rage altogether. "But I can't…I can't spend the rest of my life owing everything to someone else, especially him."

"…Then you're a fool," she said to him, turning around and attempting to walk away.

Seifer narrowed his eyes. "They'll be here any minute now… You might want to take cover."

Suddenly, the chimes of bells rang throughout the city of Centra. Their chimes bellowed across the vast city and its metropolitan area and was heard crystal clear by the tavern's occupants. All at once the men who had given Rinoa trouble before arose from their seats and proceeded toward the doors. The others followed them outside without question or a moment to spare. Rinoa faced the bartender with a quizzical look.

He took a deep breath at first. "It's starting…" He answered her wordless inquiry.

"What is…?" The girl voiced her concern, her voice trailing the sounds of footsteps and people busying out of the door.

"The ceremonial worship of our great ancestor's god, Hyne," he answered calmly. "You'd best stay here. Outsiders are not welcomed in the sight of the Crystal Pillar. It is said that your presence alone will taint its purity."

"Purity," Seifer huffed out a laugh while tipping his emptied beer mug to the side. "After all that horseplay those so called priests and monks displayed? Right, your morals are so twisted up, I'd _love_ to see what it considers impure."

"That would be me," Rinoa whispered, her voice emerging from the cloak that now covered her head and face.

"So," Seifer stood from his seat at the counter and folded his arms. "Are you going there?"

"…I can't stay here anymore," the girl narrowed her eyes. _I need to get to that pillar. _"I don't want to put anyone else in danger. My only clue to some type of change is where the ceremony is being held."

"Well…we both know that Galbadia doesn't give a rat's ass about anyone in this city nor the ceremony, including you," he grinned.

_Irvine said it's a holy artifact. It could protect me if I get near, right? I need to at least get there before Galbadia arrives, _Rinoa thought solemnly. _But…what about the centra soldiers and the worshippers…will I have to go up against them, too? Would Galbadia also…? _

Rinoa sighed. "If Galbadia really is on its way here," she muttered against the rumbling of the ground. "Then _he's_ already on the move."

Seifer displayed a satisfied grin. He would be getting his wish sooner than he anticipated.

* * *

Outside, Rinoa was amazed to see that the rain had ceased to continue. Clouds hang lowly above them and colored the entire sky gray. Standing about ten feet away from the pillar grounds and amid the crowd of onlookers, Rinoa psyched herself up for an inevitable battle. Beyond that, she was curious about this so called god "Hyne" and his teachings. It was becoming an increasingly used name, the deeper into her journey she came. Hyne was no stranger to the people centra, for they made their way to the line of the grounds hoping to acquire a great view of the upcoming ceremony.

The girl remained patient, looking upon the men who had been dressed in their garbs making their way past the soldiers adored in golden armor, marching toward the crystal pillar.

"The Blitzmen look marvelous," the people commented about the soulless guards that sent shivers down Rinoa's spine. They stood like giants over the men of flesh and blood. She wondered if she was prepared to face them head on, and there was no other choice, she wondered how she would go about doing so. Then behind the large men stood the great pillar over a half of a mile away from where she stood now. Its image was foggy and mysterious, but comforting in an eerie way. Even being without the full knowledge of what was to come had she made contact with it, Rinoa still found peace when setting her eyes upon the large construction.

There was no way human hands had crafted such a lofty creation. There had to be a greater power involved in its building.

Beside her, the blond eagerly anticipated a wondrous battle, possibly a battle he'd spent much of his life preparing for. Nothing gave him more satisfaction than knowing he would soon be facing someone with real strength, someone whose strength could possibly match his own. His arms remained planted at his sides, eyes staring at a marvelous near future.

…_**Come near…**_

Rinoa's eyes widened.

It was a voice speaking directly into her mind, but it was a voice she hadn't heard in forever. Where was it coming from…?

_**Come near to me…**_

_Is it coming from…the pillar?_

Suddenly there was a foreign cry spread above the city, ringing abroad all the people gathered. Sirens had sounded to alarm the citizens of an enemy intruder. The sirens ring increase and shook the ground. Rinoa looked at the sky immediately.

"Galbadia!" Seifer cried in laughter, amused at the irony of the threat and arrival of his questionable ally during a time of worship.

Rinoa swallowed her breath. The cloak covered her face. Rain suddenly poured upon them hiding them from the naked eyes of the citizens. The image of pillar began to emanate faintly behind the soldiers whose bodies began to take on movement. It seemed they were becoming aware of the upcoming danger. Then Rinoa found more movement appearing behind the first wave. More soldiers were making their way toward the frontline. The girl took a deep breath. What on earth was she about to do?

…_**Come near…**_

Rinoa narrowed her eyes.

Rinoa charged ahead in full motion, followed by the eager blond. She needed answers, answers that would have to be awarded to her through the inevitable battle to come. Squall was right all along. She would have to rely only on herself from this moment on, despite the untrustworthy blond at her side. The charged together in unison while the citizens disappeared into local businesses, stores, and homes behind them for protection against the forthcoming threat that had intruded its lands.

The man running at her side charged into the battle with eyes glowing red with revenge.

* * *

_**Ray's Mini Blog**_

* * *

_For those who are interested in learning more, I will be writing a catch up summary of this story in my profile and eventually a more detailed one in my forums. I plan to use the forums to do all my motor mouth activities, though it's very much ignored. I often end up responding to myself, so whatever. If you need a refreshing of the story, you can visit my profile, my livejournal, or my forums for a brief update of what you're reading. I'd hate to make everyone re-read everything, but to be fair, you needn't read everything. Starting from the winter chapters will really catch up you to speed. I tried to do a lot of reminiscing about the previous chapters to summarize the events before; however, I don't want to spill the story with my updated summary. I didn't want to include a brief summary in this chapter as it's already long! Please bear with me! _

_Also, I hate to admit it, but I lose focus when people don't review despite what I've said in the past. Sometimes it just feels like it's not really being appreciated and I have to learn later on through other things and circumstances that people actually read this story. This will help me sort through my priorities, and also, it lets me know that my efforts aren't in vain. I don't mean to sound like I'm begging, but I'd at least like to know your thoughts on the story. Please know that with every update, the chapters will answer your current questions, and if I can't answer your question in my responses, don't take it personally—I don't like spoiling a story at all. Okay. It's on to the next chapter/story for me. _

_Thanks everyone for reading, skimming, reviewing, following, favorite-ing, or alerting this story._

_I really appreciate it! _

_Ray _


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